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160 comments Add your comment
Prince Fielder
July 31st, 2011
3:08 pm
FIRST SON
Pudge McCracken
July 31st, 2011
3:11 pm
MIDDLE CHILD
Najeh Davenpoop
July 31st, 2011
3:13 pm
THIRD DAUGHTER
Nick Saban
July 31st, 2011
3:16 pm
BABY BROTHER
Josh
July 31st, 2011
3:17 pm
eat a donut Prince
Not Don Waddell
July 31st, 2011
3:17 pm
We traded a poor man’s Bourn for Bourn without giving up anything. Sounds good to me.
Jimmy Beam, you are my friend
July 31st, 2011
3:18 pm
WHIPPED PUPPY
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
3:19 pm
FOURTH OUTFIELDER
Needanother Player
July 31st, 2011
3:21 pm
BULLPEN CATCHER
charlie
July 31st, 2011
3:21 pm
hi, here to ruin your caps lock fun
5nd
Ernest
July 31st, 2011
3:21 pm
If the Braves can resign Bourn to a reaonable, multi year contract, this has the potential to go down as one of their best. Getting a good leadoff hitter with speed that also plays gold glove defense for what we gave the Astros was great, considering what other clubs paid for their trades this go around.
Good job Wren!!!
DHD
July 31st, 2011
3:26 pm
Stupid Frank Wren. He’s like that stupid Bobby Cox. he has no clue giving away all of our good players. Schafer is going to the Hall of Fame. We BLEW it.
I’m not watching another game ever again.
Greg
July 31st, 2011
3:26 pm
My only concern is that he’s coming to a contender from a team out of contention. We’ve traded for guys who put up good stats on crappy teams before(Dan Kolb and Nate McLouth come to mind immediately) and they become the butt of jokes when they get to ATL.
JackDennis
July 31st, 2011
3:28 pm
Why does this thread bring out the children?
originalatlbravefan
July 31st, 2011
3:33 pm
Lord have mercy are DHD and Greg for real. Sure they are still complaining about that Fred McGriff trade.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
3:33 pm
You will not be missed DHD. I sure you already have your ticket to the ceremony for Schafer. Enjoy and bring us all a postcard. Dumb.
Jack, because they think they are funny and smart. Yup showing immaturity is real funny.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
3:34 pm
As opposed to all the elitists and know-it-alls on the other threads?
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
3:37 pm
good point @. I came here to see if there was any word on another trade at the last second and I read this. Maybe the adults are watching the game or at the game. Ok back to the game. Still time to pull this one out.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
3:42 pm
Heyward having a good game today, his swing looking alot better too… If we don’t get anymore trades today I’d expect a couple of waiver wire moves later on.
bigd
July 31st, 2011
3:43 pm
Come on dhd schafer got caught for roids a couple years ago I don’t care how good you are if you get caught doping your not gonna make the hall. Bourn is a great player with amazing speed and a gold glove. Speed is the only thing the braves needed plus didn’t have to give up top prospects for him
Conyers Braves Fan
July 31st, 2011
3:44 pm
DHD and Greg: you can say what you want to say and so can too. I say to you: I am sorry for you. Have a blessed day.
Bravesfan HD
July 31st, 2011
3:45 pm
please score this runner.
Bravesfan HD
July 31st, 2011
3:46 pm
wow
Conyers Braves Fan
July 31st, 2011
3:46 pm
Correction: you can say what you want to say and I( not so) can too.
Pudge McCracken
July 31st, 2011
3:48 pm
I thought DHD’s post was pure sarcasm, but maybe I misunderstood.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
3:49 pm
I don’t care how good you are if you get caught doping your not gonna make the hall
UNLESS you’re a Yankee… Even though ARod got caught red handed and admitted he was a juicer you can often hear sportswriters giving him a pass. I don’t agree with it, but I think he’ll get in.
#1 Schaf Fan
July 31st, 2011
3:52 pm
Horrible trade! Yeah the last few years haven’t been as good, but remember back when MLB turned a blind eye to steroids… Schaf was real good! Braves will be extremely disappointed if they make steroids legal again and this guy goes back to form.
SB75
July 31st, 2011
3:53 pm
bigd………. I’m not supporting dhd on his comments, but Schafer didn’t get caught doing roids. He just didn’t tell on someone he knew that was.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
3:56 pm
SB he was caught with HGH. Positive test.
clay dalrymple
July 31st, 2011
3:57 pm
why are none of the blogs talking about the game, i think we all agree a great deal was made, got the speed, leadoff and cf we needed. now lets stop making mistakes, running, bunting (lack of) and play some baseball.
SB75
July 31st, 2011
3:59 pm
Joseph….. I heard that report and it turned out to be false. The reason listed for him being suspended was that he knowing covered up the steroid use of another player. But if you have a new link or proof, please post it. This debate has been going on forever on what he was actually caught doing. I would like for us all to be correct either way.
Gabriel Elijah
July 31st, 2011
4:00 pm
What our healthy lineup should look like:
1. Bourne CF
2. Prado LF
3. Mac C
4. Uggla 2nd (if he keeps hittin likes he’s been of late)
5. Freeman 1st
6. Chipper 3rd (if uggla drops off then bat chip 4th & uggs 6th)
7. Heyward RF
8. Gonzo SS
Pitcher rotation
1. JJ
2. Hudy
3. Hanson
4. Lowe
5. Beachy
This actually looks like we got a chance this year! Are Boston & Philli better? probably–but this certainly make tha Braves arguably tha 3rd best team in baseball–& in tha playoffs its all about whose hot—not always whose tha best on paper!
Largo
July 31st, 2011
4:01 pm
I am not disappointed at all that we got Bourn. He looks like a winner. Now if we could just get Pukey Stagg for the bullpin.
northbeach Scott
July 31st, 2011
4:05 pm
Joseph, you are a moron. There is no test for HGH.
Schafer was essentially accused of hanging out with know juicers, no direct evidence of his usage of any performance enhancing drugs has ever been revealed.
Hope Schafer can use the fresh start to put stupid sh*t comments like this behind him.
bigd
July 31st, 2011
4:05 pm
He was suspended 50 games while he was in double A after he was sent down by the big club
northbeach Scott
July 31st, 2011
4:12 pm
bigd, another mouth breather, with bad information. Schafer was suspended for 50 games in 2008 while he was in AA. He made the major leagues for the first time coming out of Spring Training in 2009.
Rue
July 31st, 2011
4:12 pm
I hate losen Schafer—but all things considered (not given up any of tha big 6)—this might be Wrens best move of his Braves career! Now lets just hope (as has already ben pointed out) that Bourne’s stats will hold up now he’s not playn for a beer league softball team anymore!
Azim
July 31st, 2011
4:17 pm
Prince is first in the buffet line.
bruce
July 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
thanks Dave
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
4:23 pm
Northbeach……Oh people are morons for facts. He was suspended 50 games for USING HGH. Period. He denied it (what else is he going to say? You caught me?) His father denies it (what else he going to say….yup my son used HGH?) Frank Wren said in an interview to ESPN.com in 08 after the suspension that he was disappointed in Schafer and it in no way reflects the way this organization is built. He supports the anti-drug program of MLB and will work harder to educate the young players better.
You made up your mind. Excuse this “moron” for looking at facts,
Joseph's 4th grade special ed teacher
July 31st, 2011
4:23 pm
Joseph, you little ‘tard. Stop spewing your silly drivel at these nice adults. Wipe your drool from you chin, take you hand out of your pants and get off the internet.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
4:31 pm
For your information…..I didn’t have a special ed teacher until the 7th grade. Please know facts before you try and attack me. Personal attacks are all you can come up with? Try fact, it works better.
Jordan
July 31st, 2011
4:39 pm
OMG…. I used to pop roids like pez back in AA!
Braves fill leadoff void, acquire Astros’ Bourn – MLB.com
July 31st, 2011
4:40 pm
[...] dealReutersBraves land Bourn in traffic deadline dealFox Newsmsnbc.com -SportingNews.com -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 430 headlines [...]
01HAWK
July 31st, 2011
4:41 pm
Can we please DESIGNATE FOR ASSIGNMENT NATE MCOUT and keep CONSTANZZA.
If we have to eat the 6 million, then do it.
Constanzza puts pressure on the defense. He can bat 2nd behind BOURNE.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
4:44 pm
Not a good day for Nate McClouth at all… Not only do the Braves get a full time CF but Constanza could very easily replace him on the bench. Ouch!!
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
4:50 pm
@__ISH__ will be interesting tonight to see who gets sent down to make room for Bourne. I know easy choice is Lugo, but like it or not he is a defensive infielder. Hate his bat, but he can play defense to spell 2B, 3B and SS. Wish we had a better offensive guy but such is life, so who goes?
SB75
July 31st, 2011
5:01 pm
Joseph…. We had a good convo going, don’t get destracted. There isn’t a failed test out there by Jordan, if you have a link or proof……. Please post it. It pains me that the kid is being blamed for something he didn’t do. If they had proof, His father and himself would not have gone through such links to say he didn’t do it.
Here s what I could find……. Note they did say it was a gag order, if had actually done it they would have outted him lke they did everyone else.
.There are several stories out there this morning about our former top prospect Jordan Schafer and his suspension for HGH last year. He is essentially proclaiming his innocence in actually doing any drug, but admitting his guilt by association:
[Jordan Schafer says,] “So I was taking responsibility for what I did — and I was wrong for being around that. I should’ve never gotten around the situation. I never took a steroid or anything to make me better. But at the same time, I knew what was going on and I hung around those people and I didn’t say anything.”
He declined to go into further detail about what he knew, but said: “Somebody out there was trying to get me. Somebody was trying to attack me. It was totally wrong. But again, nobody forced me to make those decisions and hang around those people. I accept that responsibility.”
From the beginning this has been a cryptic suspension, since there is no test that MLB uses which can detect HGH. We know that most of the pushers of illegal stimulants hang around gyms, and we also know that Schafer is a “cage rat” and perhaps a “gym rat.” There could be a connection between the folks who Jordan hangs out with at the gym and banned substances. At this point all we can do is guess, unfortuantely MLB has put a gag order on Jordan as part of the suspension. Acutally, I’m surprised he felt that he could say the stuff he said this week.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
5:02 pm
I don’t have a clue… From what I saw out of Constanza today, I hope he stays with the big club.. Brings up some questions I know.
SB75
July 31st, 2011
5:04 pm
Prospect Q&A: Jordan Schafer
Braves outfielder speaks about 50-game suspension
By Ben Badler
August 21, 2008
E-mail Print
After a breakout season last year, Braves center fielder Jordan Schafer ranked as the top prospect in the organization and the No. 25 overall prospect in baseball. But since spring training, Schafer’s life changed. Schafer played in four games in April for Double-A Mississippi, then was suspended for 50 games for an HGH-related infraction. He returned to the field on June 2, but the 21-year-old Schafer had slumped to a .209/.348/.368 batting line by June 23.
Notice they said related…….. I haven’t seen anywhere where someone said he failed a test.
daddyrich9999
July 31st, 2011
5:07 pm
Great trade exept schafer will be great.the trade block finally helped franceour.and constanza shld stay but linebrink needs to go.
daddyrich9999
July 31st, 2011
5:07 pm
Enter your comments here
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
5:09 pm
Sb, with all due respect and no malice intended. MLB has never spoken about any suspension in the anti-drug program except to say that this player has been suspended for …………use. It is illegal for MLB or any team to go into details. He was suspended 50 games by MLB for HGH use. That is a fact. Of course there is a gag order and players and people close to him will always deny.
That said, He is a good kid who made a mistake. Whatever the mistake was, he obviously made a HUGE mistake to get a 50 game suspension. I didn’t like him until this year, I grew to love his mindset and attitude. But the fact is he never cut it as a lead-off hitter. Wren said as much by saying that they have been looking for a real lead-off guy for years. That tells me that Schafer was a mere stop-gap and hope for the best guy. I hope he does well. Maybe he has learned whatever lesson he had to learn from his suspension. But the fact is he was not getting the job done here.
@ish…Fredi said that he hopes Constanza stays. Hope it works out that way. Maybe they make a decision tonight before bedtime. It would have been cool to at least have Bourne come to ATL today and be in the dugout, even if it was in the middle of the game. But can’t wait to see what line-up they use tomorrow night with a real lead-off guy. He just might be the answer this team needs.
Dennis Reynolds
July 31st, 2011
5:11 pm
UNBELIEVEABLE MOVE!!!
I never shouldve doubted FW. He really pulled off a steal and Bourn is going to help us score a lot more runs. Great move.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
5:13 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3336898
of course both he and his father denies everything, but he was supsended for HGH use. That is his past, and I think the kid has moved on. But it is a fact. I hope he learned whatever lessen he needed to learn. Maybe going to Houston will help this kid know that nothing is given it has to be earned. Like I said, I love his attitude this year. Until this year he was a cocky little kid, but this year he was finally getting it. Just didn’t produce.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
5:15 pm
I like this trade, but watching Bourn standing at 3rd with less than 2 outs and seeing pop ups and Ks won’t help this team win.
14 hits today (Constanza’s bunt was a hit) and 1 fluffin run. Countless opportunities with runners on 3rd and nothing. The only run scored on a GBDP. How embarrassing…
This team has to get better at situational hitting. PERIOD. Bourn will bring excitement and great defense, but it will be moot if we can’t drive him in.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
5:16 pm
Joseph, The trade REALLY has me excited.. Not just for this year but the future as well. We desperately needed a solid CF and leadoff man, I’m optimistic that we can sign Bourn long term too. With CJ & DLowe coming off the books after next season (if not sooner) we have alot more $ to spend and we’ve a TON of young and affordable pitching too. I’m a happy man today.
daddyrich9999
July 31st, 2011
5:18 pm
Shafer learned a lesson.bourn is gna be good for us but we need bullpen help cretain ones havd workd olot
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
5:22 pm
Rowsdower…….Sir, at some point you have to give a pitcher credit. Nolasco is no slouch. Yes we should have won. Had way too many opportunities, but Nolasco was on his game today. 0 walks. He is a good pitcher. Sometimes you just get beat. 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. Was hoping for a sweep, but can’t complain about 2 out of 3.
SB75
July 31st, 2011
5:22 pm
Joseph….. With all the respect I can give you, He never failed a test. So you can’t say HGH use, that is not a fact and simply un-true. And yes they have reported on ESPN severel players that have failed the test. With Jordan they always said a link to PED’s. Never that he used them. The mistake he made by not snitching on his team mate is questionable and turned out bad for him. But he did not use PED’s, HGH or anything else. There isn not even an accurate repotr that says he did, yet there are several that say he didn’t.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
5:28 pm
I didn’t say HGH use….MLB did. That is the press release from them in 08. No MLB never reported anything. A “source” leaked all of that information violating a court order, yet no “source” was ever named. There was no reference in the article from ESPN.com that I posted that said there was anything to do with snitching.
SB. He was suspended for use, whether he used or not or whatever. The fact is he was suspended for use. End of story. Of course everybody is going to mount a defense. It is their right in this country. He was never in court so all we can go by is the findings of MLB. Does that make it fair? NO. Let’s move on. Like I said the kid made a mistake and hope he has learned his lesson. Maybe Houston is the better spot for him to start a career. He wasn’t traded away because of the suspension, he was traded away because he was not getting the job done.
alexcox
July 31st, 2011
5:29 pm
BUEN TRATO pero falta QUIETIN. ysalir kawakami nate protocor.
@___ISH___
July 31st, 2011
5:30 pm
“They are who we thought they were”
This team hasn’t been a clutch or situational hitting team all year.. that’s not gonna change much even though Bourn should score alot of runs hitting in fron of Prado and CJ/FF/BM/DU.
Tom
July 31st, 2011
5:36 pm
Is Bourn really faster than Constanza? I find that hard to believe? But several others and I got it right about bringing up Constanza and Gartrell. See, listen to what I have to say, it is the gospel folks!! Gartrell should be next?
Hooters Insider
July 31st, 2011
5:42 pm
Leave it to Chipper to not get excited about this. Chipper is a cancer on this team. He has handcuffed this team for years. Get rid of him. He is injured half of the time, anyway. This team could use his salary. What a joke. We get a great ballplayer and Chipper doesn’t want to welcome him in. He is such a classless redneck. Chipper can’t wait to get into that deer stand or get some wings at Hooters.
Welcome Bourn. Us Braves fans are very happy to have you here where you will actually produce, unlike someone we all have been putting up with for years.
Go Braves. This is a better fit than Beltran and Pence.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
5:55 pm
Chipper is a cancer on this team???? ARE YOU DRUNK ALREADY HOOTERS? I mean it is not even 6pm. Slow down man.
Tom
July 31st, 2011
5:57 pm
Joseph – I was right about Constanza brother. So maybe my comments about KC’s guys( Gordon, Frenchy, Cabrera) were not far off base either.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
6:00 pm
@Joseph – If this was an isolated incident, I would definitely give credit to Nolasco. He pitched great when he was in jams, but even an average hitting team would capitalize on a couple of those opportunities. It is statistically damn near impossible to get 14 hits and score only 1 run.
This has been a problem for the Braves for years. They are subpar (i’m being very kind) with runners at 3rd and less than 2 outs. It really shouldn’t be this difficult to hit a fly ball in those situations. Hell, the game’s tied if they grounded into double plays with 1st and 3rd and no outs the other 2 times. Instead we get a pop up and a K. Thank you, drive thru.
This game just further proves that batting average means nothing. Baseball is about situational hitting. Until we improve there, we won’t get over the hump.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
6:04 pm
Let me expand on the fly ball thing. I was playing a game last summer and I came up with a runner on 3rd and 1 out. I’m a pitcher, so my coach calls time and asks me if I want to squeeze. I said, “no, I can hit a fly ball off this guy.” I flied out to left and we scored the run.
I wasn’t trying to hit a homer. I focused on driving the ball to the outfield.
Yes, the league I play in isn’t the Majors, but it is full of former college and pro players. Again, it shouldn’t be this damn difficult to hit a fly ball. Did I mention i’m a pitcher?
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
6:06 pm
Rowsdower…you are right. Situational hitting is important. Gonzo’s pop-up hurt. So did Boscan’s strikeout. Those were quality pitches. But not excusing the lack of production, just pointing out that Nolasco made amazing pitches when he had to. The man was on his game today. Also keep in mind that Chipper was out of the line-up and so was McCann…….both are batting over .366 against Nolasco. 2 Huge holes, but that happens in baseball. You are right it is statistically near impossible to get 14 hits and score only 1 run. That is more a credit to Nolasco on this ONE DAY…than blame. Heck failing 70% of the time is a success in hitting. 0.300 AVG. We should have won no doubt, but hey it happens. 2 out of 3 against a division rival isn’t too shaby. If we can do that each series on this road trip……can anybody really complain?
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
6:18 pm
That’s what I called for before this series. 12 of 16. .750 ball against these teams should be extremely doable.
That said, you have to take advantage of opportunities to win when they present themselves. In the immortal words of Meatloaf, 2 out of 3 aint bad, but a sweep would be better.
Failing 7 out of 10 times is fine. .300 lifetime average will get you into the HoF. So will 1,500 RBI and the only way to achieve that is to drive in those cheap runs. We don’t drive in enough cheap runs. I’ll take a .250 run producer over a .300 hitter that doesn’t produce runs. Bourn is a fine addition and fills our 2 biggest holes in CF and leadoff. The problem is he can’t drive himself in. I do like this lineup a lot if Chipper and Mac get healthy and Freeman and Uggla keep hitting. Heyward looked a little less lost today and Gonzo actually had a few hits.
Get those cheapies boys and we’re gonna go a LONG way.
Cory
July 31st, 2011
6:20 pm
I would of traded Heyward before Schafer. I’m gonna miss him. Good trade, but we traded the wrong guy.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
6:25 pm
Cory that is why you have no chance to ever be a GM of even a little league team.
Rowdower. I agree with you. I am just saying some of those pitches that Nolasco was throwing when he was in a jam were either a strike-out or a pop-up if they swung. Dud had his game on today when he got in trouble. Maybe Trader Jack should have him pitch only from the stretch. The offense as a whole failed to get the job done, but I do give credit to Nolasco. He was really good. Bourn changes everything, and just imagine Bourn leading off and Constanza playing LF and batting 2nd and Prado batting 3rd playing 3B tomorrow night. Fredi has hinted that it is possible. That is something to drool over there.
BravesGurl1983
July 31st, 2011
6:30 pm
From an ESPN article about Jordan…
“I’ve never failed a test. I’ve taken 20 drug tests, and I’ve never failed one. I didn’t take anything,” Schafer said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Schafer did not test positive for HGH. Rather, he was suspended after Major League Baseball probed anecdotal evidence of HGH use by Schafer, two sources familiar with Schafer’s case told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney last year.
Human growth hormone is a banned substance under the current drug-testing agreement between the owners and players, but the sport, like other professional sports leagues in the U.S., does not test for HGH.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3859231
Good luck to you, Jordan Schafer!!! I hope you become an All Star down in Houston!
smallmouth6
July 31st, 2011
6:38 pm
There are some folks on here who don’t have a clue about baseball. I hope, and think, most of them are teenagers (or younger).
Baseball for Braves fans should be fun the next couple of months—this is from an old guy who respects the Braves.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
6:44 pm
Having Bourn and Constanza in there together would be sick. Nothing would drop in the OF and they would be burning up the bases all night. I said impact player or stand pat and Wren made it happen. I am infinitely excited about this team down the stretch, in the playoffs and the next decade. As I said everywhere else, it’s a good time to be a Braves fan!
Schafer’s suspension did not derail his career with the Braves. His inability to stay healthy and hit the ball on the ground did. He is an awesome OF and a great kid. I wish him the best in Houston as well. If he ends up being Bourn Part II in Houston, that would be great. This team needed a finished product. Bourn will be a force on this team for years to come (yes, I expect us to sign him to an extension).
Oh, and to the tool that said trade Heyward and keep Schafer. My god is all that comes to mind. Heyward is 21. He has a bright future. It’s in a Braves uniform. In a few years Bourn will be the oldest guy on the team..AT 30!?! A perennial playoff team with everyone entering or in their prime sounds pretty good to me.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
6:46 pm
Rowsdower…There is only one thing I can say to that sir…………Hoorah!
NickB
July 31st, 2011
6:47 pm
@ rowsdower- RBI’s are a product of a team rather than an individual though. So your comment about taking a .250 run producer over a .300 hitter that doesn’t produce runs is kinda silly. If you hit .300 (and have a respectable OBP of like .340+) and actually have people on base in front of you, you will produce more runs than a .250 hitter with the same OBP….. (because it’s better to accumulate OBP via hits than walks, tho walks are very valuable as well).
This team just seems to only get on base in front of the bottom 3rd of the order is the biggest problem. Being the bottom 3rd, they aren’t very good and therefore don’t get many hits or on base much to produce any runs. The addition of Bourn will improve this by increasing the number of times our 2-5 hitters come up to bat with not only someone on base, but also in scoring position. Not to mention the psychological affect having a fast guy on has on the pitcher. It also means more fastballs and less nibbling for fear of creating big innings. There’s a reason that Bourn has a 4.3 WAR 2/3rds of the way throug the season!! He creates offensive chances for those who bat behind him!
NickB
July 31st, 2011
6:50 pm
also, batting avg is fairly worthless at describing a player production offensively… I know a lot of old timers don’t like to hear that, heck I used to not like it either (and I’m 38) but , the old counting stats are fairly poor at defining the true value and productivity of an individual player’s production.
Yunel #1 Fan
July 31st, 2011
6:56 pm
DHD you are one retarded SOB!! I dont have to defened Bobby, we all know who he is. And Wren has made some mistakes but he is doing a good job overall. And this last one is a great one.
And Schaffer will NEVER be a HOF guy. NOT EVEN CLOSE. He is just NOT a good hitter and he never will be.
We got a great player who fits us like a glove and we still have our top prospects. GREAT JOB!!!
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
7:23 pm
Say goodbye Daniel. Racist.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
7:24 pm
@NickB – I agree. Batting average means very little, thus the .300 hitter that doesn’t produce runs statement.
Run producers don’t just drive in runs, they score runs. The problem with this team is that we are not a good situational hitting team. RBI are a function of team rather than individual, but this is a team game that is won and lost on runs scored and runs allowed. 14 hits and 1 run is a team failure. I’m not placing the blame on any individual. And, again, if this was a one game thing, I would chalk it up to bad luck, but this has been going on for YEARS.
I’m clearly nitpicking a team that is 3.5 games up in the wild card race. It’s just frustrating seeing this team fail time after time in run scoring situations. You don’t have to get a hit to drive in those runs. That’s the most painful part of it…
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
7:32 pm
Rowsdower, I agree with you it is frustrating. But considering this team has the record they have while not having a real lead-off man and only having a starting 8 together a mere 11 times all year might have a lot to do with it. I hope we can get fully healthy with no setbacks by the end of August when Moylan comes back. It just would be nice to see Bourn with Chipper and McCann in the lineup at the same time. I do believe the guys that were out today in those situations (or even Ross) would have come through at least 2 times.
bigbrave
July 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
Great trade! Bourn is the needed bat, speed and glove we have been missing. Bring back the exciting days of Neon Deion and Otis Nixon!
cutty
July 31st, 2011
7:46 pm
“On whether getting Chipper Jones back makes the Braves a better team?” Check with me in a couple of months, assuming he can stay in the line-up that long.
Marcus Giles
July 31st, 2011
7:52 pm
Jordan Schafer? Oh that guy was definitely on the juice.
Parent John
July 31st, 2011
8:00 pm
So happy to see Schafer go. Drug users like he, Manny Ramirez, Josh Hamilton, ARod, etc, etc should be permanently banned from the game. It’s a shame our kids have to watch absolute morons like these get paid millions for being degenerate lowlife cheaters. I don’t know much about Bourn, but I’d rather my kid learn to play some small ball rather than get the small balls from putting illegal drugs into your system.
braveheart11
July 31st, 2011
8:04 pm
Great looking lineup. Come on Heyward start hitting like we know you can and we will pass the Phillies!!
CF Bourne
LF Prado
3B Chipper
C McCann
1B Freeman
2B Uggla
RF Heyward
SS Gonzalez
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
8:07 pm
Braveheart11……That is a good line-up. There are so many different possibilities like Freeman 3rd or Mac 3rd Uggla 4th or 5th……No way to go wrong either way. Get the guys healthy and dang this could be a fun line-up to watch.
Omar
July 31st, 2011
8:09 pm
This lineup still needs a healthy Chipper, he is one of the few hitters on this team who can handle lefties.
Bobbys Wisdom
July 31st, 2011
8:10 pm
I would keep Constanza as the backup CF and put McLouth on the bench as backup to Prado/Hinkse!
jsimpkins73
July 31st, 2011
8:14 pm
It’s not Channel 17’s fault that The Atlanta Braves have MLB’s best management team. Bourn puts them deep in the playoffs …eat it haters.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
8:27 pm
This is interesting. Here are the WAR numbers for the 3 players the Braves were after:
Carlos Beltran – 3.7
Michael Bourn – 3.6
Hunter Pence – 2.5
Considering what the Giants and Phillies gave up vs. what the Braves gave up, the salaries of the players and the fact that Bourn fills 2 HUGE holes for the Braves, I think Wren did alright.
Phillies fans can spin it however they want, but they gave up more for a more expensive, lesser player. Way to go Wren. You didn’t show your hand early and you won on the river. Kudos!
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
8:33 pm
I tried to follow the SABER thing, although in my opinion it is super over analyitcal, but guess I might be showing my age,
Rowsdower what is WAR numbers? Again I repeat I do not agree with the Saber thing. Over analyzing in my opinion. I do understand how some can get into it and if it brings the younger kids into baseball cool, but for me personally I just don’t see it. But would like to know what WAR is.
milo
July 31st, 2011
8:36 pm
Ok, I am glad we got Bourn but we still lack in a rh hitter that can produce runs. Bourn will get on base and steal and whatever, but who is hitting him in?? Braves had 13 hits today and scored 1 run?? Costanza was 3 for 5 at leadoff and we scored 1 run??? All of us just had this discussion the other night on how long it had been for someone to hit a SAC FLY… 2 months? That is unheard of. What are the braves batting with runnners in scoring position? Michael Bourn is an upgrade no doubt BUT who is going to hit him in? Who is going to hit the other guys in? Bourn wont, not his job. Maybe we can pick up another bat off the waiver wire later on. Once again, I love the trade but not sure how much it will help if we cant hit him in.
jsimpkins73
July 31st, 2011
8:38 pm
^^^
The RH hitter they just added is Uggla, pay attention.
Rowsdower
July 31st, 2011
8:48 pm
WAR is Wins Above Replacement. It takes into account all facets of offense and defense and is a strong metric for determining the value of a player against an average player at that position. Needless to say Bourn is FAR more valuable when you consider he’s replacing McLouth and Schafer:
Schafer – .7 WAR
McLouth – .3 WAR
For reference, Corey Patterson is a .4 WAR and nobody wants him.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
8:55 pm
Rowsdower….ok. But I do have a question then. I have read and heard several interviews that the creators of Saber have given especially on ESPN Radio’s Collin Cowherd’s show. The creators of SABER have stated that the metrics for defense are inconclusive at best. There is no way possible to ever determine someones defensive success/fail rate by using SABER. So how can those numbers be trusted? Again I think they are just over analytical numbers, but if they bring in the youngsters and help them love this beautiful game of baseball, then I am for them. I as just 1 person speaking, do not get them (both understanding and relevence). Again if you subscribe to them that is cool. I do not disparage any that do, I just speaking for me personally. Heck, my wife made me get an I-phone and I freaking hate it as well. I want so bad to just get my old flip-phone back, but she insists the I-phone is so much better. Maybe I am just old-fashioned.
Joseph
July 31st, 2011
8:58 pm
Oh by the way…..Wins Above Replacement…..are whom the pitcher for the team that day or the opposing pitcher taken into account? Or the record of said team at the time of replacement? How are those numbers produced? It is easy to just point out 3.7 or whatever, but how was that specific number derived upon?
Hooters Insider
July 31st, 2011
9:04 pm
Not drunk. Just tired of hearing Chipper’s blabber mouth from the bench. If I see one more lineup with Chipper third, I’m gonna puke. The guy is a number 2 or number 6 hitter. But no, we’ll see him batting third with less than 15 homers for the year. Barf indeed.