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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,671 comments Add your comment
Chop Chop
August 30th, 2011
10:55 pm
I’d like to see the starting pitching and the hitting heat up in the playoffs so the bullpen can be the surprise destroyer of our season.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
I just got home from the game tonight and have nothing positive to say. What a waste of money.
Mitchell
August 30th, 2011
10:57 pm
DS1
August 30th, 2011
10:20 pm
Mitchell
79-55, or 79 out of 134, or .58955224 percent……
DS1, 79-55 is the exact record at this point from a year ago.
If you’re satiated by a team that has two rookie of the year candidates, the best catcher in baseball, the best base stealer in baseball, the best bullpen in baseball, a Hall of Fame third baseman and a 30 home run hitting, $62 million dollar making second baseman and has made zero improvement in the standings then I have to imagine you’re eating your hamburger off the floor in your bathroom.
Am I really supposed to be impressed by the second place Braves having the exact same record they last year after 134 games?
This time last year our third baseman’s career appeared to be over.
Troy Glaus could hardly walk. Martin Prado’s pinky finger was pointing sideways.
Imagine what this season would have been like if the Braves lost someone like Adam Wainwright for the year in spring training or if Brian McCann’s season ended in May along with Buster Posey’s.
A full season without your number one starter? If it was Tim Hudson that alone would have put an end to any playoff hopes this team had.
No team in baseball has underperformed like the Braves. We were still in first place last year. We haven’t been in first place in 2011 since March 31st.
DS1, what it takes to please you is alarming.
Who needs the circus when you can just look at the pretty ad in the paper?
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
10:59 pm
Brava
August 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
I just got home from the game tonight and have nothing positive to say. What a waste of money.
Sorry you spent your hard earned money tonight !
Mitchell
August 30th, 2011
10:59 pm
Brava, I’m sorry for your loss.
Believe me, I know the feeling.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:00 pm
Stuff happens, Dumbfound. I have to say, usually when we go the Braves win.
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
11:02 pm
Is it me, or do the braves look disinterested in new york and at home tonight !
Chop Chop
August 30th, 2011
11:02 pm
I’m watching the Sox/Yanks on MLBN. Just starting the bottom of the ninth. Looks like another four-hour game between these two.
Russell Bell
August 30th, 2011
11:03 pm
1991 Braves – You and me, we aint supposed to see eye to eye. Probably on much of anything in life.
The braves aren’t the best team in the NL – this isn’t news to anyone. They still are one of the top 3 teams in the NL and have the potential to do very well in the playoffs. If you want to nail ‘em to the cross and burn the team to the ground because of a couple of sh-tty games, then be my guest.
Your overly pessimistic view point makes you sound like a whiny as-hole, not the baseball scholar you may think you see in the mirror.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:04 pm
Thanks, Mitchell. I’m sure they’ll get their act together tomorrow. I hope so, at least.
The Nats always give them fits, but I thought we’d beat them when I saw Livan was pitching. The Braves usually handle him well.
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:05 pm
Is it safe to come around? I had meetings tonight and so did not follow the game. I am guessing that there is some ill will here.
Carroll Rogers
August 30th, 2011
11:05 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2011/08/30/braves-postgame-quotes-following-tuesdays-loss-to-nats/
postgame quotes are up….nite all
Menlobrave
August 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
Moe, Duck and cover
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
Braves could’t beat Washington if their lives depended on it!
N8
August 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
Yeah, but Mitchell…. we lost Bobby Cox. The greatest manager to ever live. Shouldn’t that count for something?
All seriousness to the side, you’re acting like a baffoon. Relax. It’s OK to be concerned (I am). It’s even OK to be pissed off after gettting our asses handed to us by Livan AGAIN (I am).
But to act like this hasn’t been a good year because we’re “in 2nd place”? Dude. The Phillies might win 110 games this year. Not much else we could have done about it so far (6-6 against them), so their “damage” in the standings has been against everybody else.
The 97 Braves finished 9 games ahead of the Marlins in the NL East.
I wonder if the Marlins fans were pissed about them finishing 2nd? If our guys are healthy (clearly they are not), I’ll take our chances. Just like last year. Losing Chipper, Prado and eventually Wagner killed our realistic shot last year. And we STILL hung with the Giants better than anybody else in the playoffs did.
Get over yourself. If you’ve got a problem with the overall performance of this team this year, that’s a YOU problem. Nothing we can do to help you.
Now if you want to gripe and bitch about what might happen come playoff time with our current production on the mound and at the plate?
I might join you. But for you to compare records of this year’s team to last year’s team is as pointless as you don’t like mustard on your hot dogs, because last year you put spinach on your stir fry.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:07 pm
I have no ill will, Moe, just extreme disappointment. Hate it when I go to a game and they lose, but it’s bound to happen sometimes.
Michael
August 30th, 2011
11:07 pm
I guess its the Nats.
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
11:08 pm
Russell Bell
August 30th, 2011
11:03 pm
1991 Braves – You and me, we aint supposed to see eye to eye. Probably on much of anything in life.
The braves aren’t the best team in the NL – this isn’t news to anyone. They still are one of the top 3 teams in the NL and have the potential to do very well in the playoffs. If you want to nail ‘em to the cross and burn the team to the ground because of a couple of sh-tty games, then be my guest.
Your overly pessimistic view point makes you sound like a whiny as-hole, not the baseball scholar you may think you see in the mirror.
He’s not the only one.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
Thank you, Carroll, and good night.
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
Don’t EVER waste your money and go to a Braves/Nats game. Nats will win easily every time!
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
menlobrave–I will venture in with my head lowered.
Brava–I completely understand. I make it to so few games. When I do, I want the team to show up. I know that is vexing. What happened. I have just seen the score but have no idea what transpired.
Tom O'Hawke
August 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
Is it safe to come around? I had meetings tonight and so did not follow the game. I am guessing that there is some ill will here.
Don’t worry, Moe Berg. Mitchell is here, now.
He always makes sure that the negativity doesn’t get too carried away.
Busch leaguer
August 30th, 2011
11:12 pm
The Nats had scored a total of 13 runs in there last 6 games all losses ,the cure facing BP I mean JJ .Fredii needs to believe his lying eyes,fastball tops out at 88 and slider hangs around the belt. I hope JJ is still hurting thus the lack of velocity and command. Take him out of the rotation, let him pitch simulated games against the Braves. It might have the same effect on the Braves who are struggling at the plate,Seabass,Heyward , Freeman ,Conrad and Prado. JJ was the cure for an anemic Washington lineup ,maybe he can have the same effect on his team mates. At least he would be doing something useful. By leaving JJ in the rotation Fredi is doing the rest of the team a disservice and possibly is ruining JJ .
The only saving grace for the Braves is that the Giants and Cardinals suck.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:12 pm
Well, Moe to quickly sum it up quickly, Jair wasn’t having a good night (gave up several homers, one a three runner) and the offense was still on vacation.
Bravefaninok
August 30th, 2011
11:13 pm
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
Braves could’t beat Washington if their lives depended on it!
Not really true for the season there 6-7 vs wash.,But I get your point.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:14 pm
Whew, I just read what I wrote and realized I had a few too many beers tonight. Sorry folks.
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:14 pm
Jason Heyward got a hit – YEEHAW!!!
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:14 pm
Tom O’Hawke–Very good. I love Mitchell’s consistency. He can turn a rainbow into a toxic waste site. Which incidentally, I believe happened here post-Irene. I saw a giant rainbow after it cleared through. Instead of ending in a pot of gold, I believe that it pointed to Three Mile Island.
Professor
August 30th, 2011
11:14 pm
We suck 3 of last 4 games…better right the ship.
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:15 pm
Brava–Was it just too much time off? Or is something just not right with him of late?
DS1
August 30th, 2011
11:16 pm
Please go easy on Mitchell. He was dropped on his head when he was a baby……….
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:16 pm
Tell me 8-12 Derek Lowe is not pitching our next game? Congrats again Nats! We need Huddy -please!
NO MORE PARRISH
August 30th, 2011
11:17 pm
Nat’s had lost six straight before tonight. Way to have em ready Fredi.
Tree rollins
August 30th, 2011
11:18 pm
Can’t we sub Kawikame for Derek Lowe – we’re still paying him -right?
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
11:19 pm
the braves look like they dont care, sleepwalking. and thats sucks ! For people to go out and spend their hard earned money in this economy ?!, and plays like that ?!
Thats unexceptable ! 
Tom O'Hawke
August 30th, 2011
11:19 pm
He can turn a rainbow into a toxic waste site.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:21 pm
I don’t know, Moe, he really hasn’t pitched well since coming back from the All Star break. Maybe something is wrong with him physically or maybe he’s been thoughtfully scouted and the hitters have figured him out. I have had online conversations with advanced metrics folks who thought he was pitching over his head when he was excelling. Frankly, I just don’t know.
Bat Masterson
August 30th, 2011
11:22 pm
Billmaier @ 10:12
Yeah, biff would have hit two grandslams, plus matched heywards 2 rbi giving the braves a 10 to 9 win. Damn that heyward
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:23 pm
Meant thoroughly scouted, not thoughtfully, although I’m sure that applied, as well.
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:26 pm
Brava–I know that there was much speculation that he was overperforming the first half of the season. Admittedly, I have not seen many games since the AS break, but this kind of drop off seems unlikely just from a regression. Not sure what is wrong.
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:27 pm
At least, SF is down 3-0 to the Cubs. Even if the Braves have a mini-slump, the Giants seem to be in the midst of a much larger one.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:29 pm
Dumbfound, my son was with me tonight and I’d have to say he’s a casual fan, not a fanatic like I am. It was telling when he turned to me and said, “They look really lethargic tonight, Mom.”
Moe Berg
August 30th, 2011
11:31 pm
I have been heralded a few times for dinner. Should probably go and eat. Will call it a night and hope that the team looks better tomorrow.
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:31 pm
Yeah, I’m not sure either, Moe, and don’t want to make idle speculation. Who knows, he could pitch a no hitter his next game. It’s not as if he’s a bad pitcher.
Busch leaguer
August 30th, 2011
11:31 pm
Damn, Cards hold off Brewers rally ,Wildcard lead down to 8 and a half games .At least the Giants are getting shut out.Good thing the Braves are still 15 and a half games ahead of the NATS. On September 1st bring up Delgado and Teheran and put them in the rotation. The experience would be useful even if they don’t start in the playoffs.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
August 30th, 2011
11:32 pm
Wow………….I sure am glad Fredi juggled out rotation so we could get Jurrgens and Lowe out of the gate after the layoff…….
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:32 pm
Goodnight, Moe.
I’m also calling it a night. Goodnight, blog denizens.
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
11:33 pm
Like that beat writer said in detriot, that JJ wasn’t special ?! He looks right in that statement. He’s regressing being late last year,
Yunel's Frosted Tips
August 30th, 2011
11:33 pm
Huddy, Beachy, and Delgado in the playoffs………….otherwise we lose……….JJ and DLowe are losses……
Yunel's Frosted Tips
August 30th, 2011
11:34 pm
Told yall at the all star break JJ was all smoke and mirrors…………many laughed and ridiculed when i said deal him for a big stick………….now we stuck with JJ and Hanson for holding on too long
Dumbfound
August 30th, 2011
11:35 pm
Brava
August 30th, 2011
11:29 pm
Dumbfound, my son was with me tonight and I’d have to say he’s a casual fan, not a fanatic like I am. It was telling when he turned to me and said, “They look really lethargic tonight, Mom.”
You have a smart kid, Brava !
Tom O'Hawke
August 30th, 2011
11:36 pm
Brava, Moe, and anyone in the rest of the free world that wants to read this.
I can’t believe that JJ was anything but, brilliant, the 1st half. His command was freakin’ perfect. Would that last all season? Probably not. But should it go this bad, this fast? Probably not, again.
After the break, he started suffering pain around the area of the knee that was surgically repaired, last season.
I believe his timing was thrown off while trying to pitch through that. I believe they still are.
The one thing that concerns me more than if if he’ll get his mechanics back, is whether or not he’s still favoring that knee.
So many times you see these guys trying to play through the pain. However, pain is one thing — not being able to execute, properly, is another.
tiger297
August 30th, 2011
11:37 pm
rough performance tonight it wasn’t bad until the 3 run HR (and JJ was hammered prior to that as well lots of fly balls to the wall and the double in the 2nd was almost out) but after that the energy level seemed comparable to a spring training game
Yunel's Frosted Tips
August 30th, 2011
11:42 pm
Post game comments are up::::::
Chipper: “It’s obvious we haven’t given a sh*t since we left Chicago”
tiger297
August 30th, 2011
11:42 pm
well with nobody to chat with looks like I’m one and done…
when its sleepy time down south-
Mitchell
August 30th, 2011
11:44 pm
He (JJ) got little help from his offense Tuesday night. After waiting three days of a layoff, the Braves had to wait on Livan Hernandez. For a team already off-kilter by the schedule, staying back on his mid-60s off-speed repertoire wasn’t easy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the real victims of Hurrican Irene: your Atlanta Braves.
It’s been a rough patch but with any luck they’ll get through it.
Our prayers are with you, Braves. Hang in there.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
August 30th, 2011
11:47 pm
off time bad for braves……………..they like to drink alot……..bars in Buckhead and Virginia Highland……everynite….look it up
TnBrian
August 30th, 2011
11:57 pm
Chipper is a drinker I bet. He sometimes shows up with baggy, hungover looking eyes.
Trey
August 30th, 2011
11:58 pm
Brava
August 30th, 2011
10:56 pm
I just got home from the game tonight and have nothing positive to say. What a waste of money.
It really was a disappointing game, Brava. More than disappointing, really. Anyway, I thought you weren’t going to go to anymore games since McDowell wasn’t fired.
Tom
August 30th, 2011
11:58 pm
according the braves mlb website they were 76-55 on august 30th 2010( http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/mlb/standings/index.jsp#20100830 ). are they better then there were last season, yes, are they 3 games up in 1st place, no. they still have a 8.5 game lead in the wild card don’t forget.
noliee
August 31st, 2011
12:06 am
Ladies and gentlemen, the real victims of Hurrican Irene: your Atlanta Braves…Mitchell
F@@king Idiot…
noliee
August 31st, 2011
12:07 am
Chipper is a drinker I bet. He sometimes shows up with baggy, hungover looking eyes….TnB
really???? sigh
Busch leaguer
August 31st, 2011
12:09 am
Does Chipper still have his signature beer mug at Hooter’s?What ’s wrong with a ballplayer taking a drink or two or twenty-two.Heck The Mick hit 536 homeruns and Chipper has over 450 homeruns,not too shabby Chipper and you own New York .Maybe you can sign with the Yankees in 2013 ,Posada will be gone by then.You can DH and share 3b wit A-Roid.
Mitchell
August 31st, 2011
12:09 am
N8
August 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
Yeah, but Mitchell…. we lost Bobby Cox. The greatest manager to ever live. Shouldn’t that count for something?
Ha, good one.
All seriousness to the side, you’re acting like a baffoon. Relax. It’s OK to be concerned (I am). It’s even OK to be pissed off after gettting our asses handed to us by Livan AGAIN (I am).
I’m not concerned and I’m not pissed.
I’m just tired of hearing how the Phillies beat the teams they’re supposed to beat and the Braves don’t beat the teams they’re supposed to beat.
The story never changes.
I don’t know how any Braves fan can watch a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks go from one of the worst in baseball in 2010 to probably beating out the World Series Champion Giants for the division one year later and not be frustrated by that.
It would not disappoint me to finish the regular season second to the Phillies but failing to pose the slightest threat to a fifth consecutive NL East division title while seeing no change in the standings from 2010, I think we expected better than that.
Didn’t we?
Busch leaguer
August 31st, 2011
12:21 am
I really think the Braves are over achieving .The Phillies have a $100M rotation.The Braves have Huddy an over priced Lowe and 3 guys making the minimum and JJ. The Phillies spend 50% more on total payroll than our Atlanta Braves. The Phillies also sell out every home game and the Braves play in front of thousands of empty seats .It is embarrassing to watch Phillies or Cub fans come into Turner Field and make more noise than Braves fans.So I really don’t know why we expect more than the Braves are giving us.
BravesAC
August 31st, 2011
12:23 am
Look’s like the Braves went for a 4 day weekend off. Their issues with the Gnats/Hernandez just doesn’t feel right.
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
12:25 am
Oh, uhhh… VJ, in case you missed it… (which I know you didn’t
),
From the previous blog which had 2,644 comments, noliee led the way with 216 posts. There were 186 different poster names. Here are the Top 25:
Rank Poster Frequency
1 noliee 216
2 Tom O’Hawke 159
3 Venice Jim 141
I must,however, give credit where credit is due.
I think you made a great finish and a courageous effort, just to get that close. I thought I had you by a wide margin. Simply put, another 10 more posts — with 9 grammatical corrections — and you would have beat me.
Who knew?
(You may not be posting, but I know you’re always reading.)
"Dandy" Don Meredith
August 31st, 2011
12:25 am
Turn out the lights, the party’s over….
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
12:26 am
Tom-
He’s still not here so he’s not even reading yet. He will when he gets home, I’m sure. And he was not happy that you beat him…
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
12:33 am
LAdy
I just hope he can appreciate that I gave a non-bragadocious victory speach.
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
12:37 am
Tom-
Slightly bragadocious…
ccrider
August 31st, 2011
12:39 am
Fellow Braves Fans: The promise of ,perhaps, a trip to the World Series has been derailed once again this year! After losing Chipper and Prado last year from our already meager offense that made us the weakest hitting team in the playoffs, this year we have lost the two pitchers we could least afford to: Hanson and Jurrjens!
Hanson will not have time to heal AND prepare to pitch playoff calibur baseball(I think he will likely not even pitch again this season)
J.J. has been a mere shadow of the pitcher before the All Star break. I am sure the injury messed with his mechanics, but he is completely lost. No control, no movement on his pitches and inconsistent velocity.
So, we will go into the first series with the Brewers with this rotation: Hudson, Beachy, Lowe and ????? I like Hudson to match up with Greinke, Beachy, if he is ON, might matchup with Gallarado, but Lowe is no match for Marcum and if we have to go to a 4th starter, I hope it will be Minor, because the Brewers might just set an all time record for home runs in a playoff game if J.J. pitches!
Looks like another year of wait till next year! ( a note: should the Braves Organization look into the trainers and physicians who treat and exam the Braves injuries or is the Management responsible for not being sure Hanson only had tendinitis, instead of a small tear in the rotator cuff! If the more extensive exam had be perform the first time that Hanson complained about his shoulder, would Hanson be healthy by now and have a chance to pitch in the playoffs?)
Say Hey
August 31st, 2011
12:40 am
Josh Hamilton had a towering homer for the Rangers, hitting hit the first pitch of the sixth inning thrown by rookie right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (11-10) deep into a second deck of seats in right field. It landed an estimated 449 feet from home plate, his 19th homer, and broke a scoreless tie.
“I thought it was actually going to be the first time I’ve seen a ball hit on the roof up there,” Feldman said.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was reminded of the film “The Natural” when Hamilton hit the pitch that was thrown down the middle of the plate.
“That was properly struck,” he said. “That would have done Robert Redford proud.”
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
12:43 am
Tom-
Did you spell “speech” wrong on purpose?
N8
August 31st, 2011
12:46 am
“I don’t know how any Braves fan can watch a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks go from one of the worst in baseball in 2010 to probably beating out the World Series Champion Giants for the division one year later and not be frustrated by that.
It would not disappoint me to finish the regular season second to the Phillies but failing to pose the slightest threat to a fifth consecutive NL East division title while seeing no change in the standings from 2010, I think we expected better than that.
Didn’t we?”
No. I didn’t. I thought we MIGHT challenge them for the division if our rotation had no serious injuries or loss of time, and both Jurrjens and now Hanson have lost time. Beachy too. Chipper hasn’t been all the way healthy. Mac missed all that time. And Heyward has been a huge disappointment.
There were too many “ifs” for us to overtake the Phillies. They went out and got Cliff Lee, along with keeping Oswalt from last year’s deadline. We needed everything to go right just to hang with them.
My predicition all winter and during spring training was that we would end up winning 3-5 more games than we did last year and might finish more games back of the Phillies. I predicted us winning 94-95 games and the Phillies winning 104-105 games.
Sucks that I was right.
As for us having the same record at the same time of last year? To me that says a lot about the youth and bullpen of this team. Especially the way Uggla started.
I have a feeling this post-season will end in a loss for us. But that’s alright when you look forward.
Obviously, Hudson is a lock for the post-season rotation. Period (barring injury).
But unfortunately, I bet that Lowe and of ofJurrjens or Hanson will be in there as well. While Beachy, Kimbrel, Venters and O’Flaherty sit out in the bullpen watching the team fall behind early in those games.
If Jurrjens and Hanson are healthy? I’m absolutely fine with them being out there. But it’s hard to imagine either of them getting any better.
Why on earth Fredi re-arranged the rotation is beyond me.
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
12:48 am
Tom-
Slightly bragadocious…
At least, as little as I know how to muster, cabravesfan.
Hey, I was just trying to make the top 25. Beating VJ became a competition much after the blog was a day old.
Had it not been for my freakin’ flippant, fluent, Florida-fellow friend — I would have been numero uno!
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
12:50 am
Tom-
Oh, I know. He showed me the post where you challenged him
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
12:52 am
Tom-
Did you spell “speech” wrong on purpose?
Nahhhh, I rewrote part of it in that little “submit” box. I didn’t even notice it.
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
12:53 am
Tom-
good thing VJ isn’t here. He would have had to mock you for that
Ward
August 31st, 2011
12:55 am
Hello every one! So we lost to the Nats. We still own the Wild Card.I don’t get the whinning?We could be like Baltimore in last place.Chill,relax, we are still in the Play- Off hunt……..
N8
August 31st, 2011
12:56 am
“So many times you see these guys trying to play through the pain. However, pain is one thing — not being able to execute, properly, is another.”
Dead on Tom. Unfortunately, from my angle, most of the time the above statement goes hand in hand.
Guys like Chipper talk about playing through pain and even guys like Maddux and Glavine obviously played throught pain. but over the long haul, they learned how to do so and maybe were simply that gifted that they could adjust.
Heyward is a perfect example. As much as I’ve ragged on him being pretty worthless all year, I have always acknowledged that it’s likely the injuries that have messed with him, rather than him forgetting how to hit.
Last year, the thumb prevented him from doing what he did to get him to the show so fast. This year it’s the shoulder. With Jurrjens, the knee is preventing him from having his normal command, thus his 88-90 mph fastballs are getting hammered because they are up.
So while some can say “80% of so and so is better than 100% of any other option”, I think that statement is BS.
Clearly, Hanson and Jurrjens at “whatever” percentage of health they are at, are NOT as good as Minor or Delgado would probably be. At some point you have to sit him down.
Fighting through an injury to keep your team “in the game” is one thing. Giving up 6 runs in 6 innings is another.
We have all this pitching depth that we’ve held on to. Clearly, Wren wasn’t interested in trading any of it. Well if he’s not going to make Fredi USE it when guys are hurting. Then why have it?
If for nothing else then to allow JJ and/or Hanson to rest heading into October. Provided we can protect the 8.5 game lead in the wild card.
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
12:56 am
Tom-
good thing VJ isn’t here. He would have had to mock you for that
Yahhh…. Lucky me…
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:00 am
Braves had a three day rest,so they are going to be rusty,andwe are not supposed to catch the Phillies.All we have to do is stay close.
Rob from SC
August 31st, 2011
1:02 am
For all the Heyward bashers… You do realize he drove in both runs. He looks better. He will learn how to adjust ti being pitched inside.
Jurrjens on the other had… Where did his velocity go. Or his location, or his ability to get outs. The pitching concerns me.
Busch leaguer
August 31st, 2011
1:03 am
Fredi is just Bobby Cox lite. Sit around on offense wait for the three run homer.Stay to long with the veteran pitchers ,yank the young starter at the first sign of trouble. I can count the number of hit and run plays this year on one hand. With Bourn and Constanza in the line up the Braves should be first to thirding their opponents to death .But they waste the speed by having too many wasted selfish at bats .I still cant believe the 5 week stretch that the Braves only had one sac fly.Unbelievable but I saw it with my own two eyes.Hope the Braves can sign Bourn to a reasonable extension ,but more than likely they will settle for another incarnation of Nate McClouth.Overpriced and underperforming but on budget.Still remember Cox signing off on the Wainwright for JD Drew deal that turd is still stinking up the Red Sox roster. Not to mention the Texas trade in 2008.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:03 am
So the Braves are supposed to win every game right! Since when do you win every game? All teams have a crappy team they have problems with every year. This year it’s the Nats.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:05 am
Rob from SC: I think they just want to bitch!
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
1:05 am
*sigh
N8
August 31st, 2011
1:08 am
“He looks better. He will learn how to adjust ti being pitched inside.” Rob on Heyward
I think he already knows how to adjust inside. Don’t you remember him driving balls to LF last year, and then when they came in on him, his wrist and shoulder allowed him to turn on pitches?
His shoulder isn’t allowing him to turn on that stuff. But I agree with you. His approach has looked much better on pitches up out over the plate. It appears as though he’s thinking LF. I’m guessing that grand slam he hit in Wrigley reminded him he has the power to drive the ball out anywhere to all fields.
It actually reminds me of Uggla right before he busted out. He was driving balls hard right at people and just missing pitches. After about a week or so of that, Uggla took off.
Pretty sad how bad Heyward was, when we’re excited about him just missing pitches. LOL.
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
1:09 am
So while some can say “80% of so and so is better than 100% of any other option”, I think that statement is BS.
Bingo, on the “BS”, N8, IMO.
Playing with some pain, is one thing. Playing while an injury is hampering your physical ability, is another.
I know, for a fact, that the competitive spirit of most athletes, won’t allow them to sit one out. That’s just their nature.
It’s hard for an athlete to admit that he needs to R & R in order to be productive, again. The hardest part, on the upper echelon, is listing to the fans.
They have no idea, for the most part, what it’s all about, but love to voice their opinion.
As dumb as it may sound, this has an influence on most of these guys.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:11 am
9 inning, San Fran losing 5-2 to Cubs……….
N8
August 31st, 2011
1:13 am
Tom, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s relative to WHO is the possible replacement for said “injured” player.
Example. If Jurrjens was hurting and Kyle Davies or Kenshin Kawakami was the guy who would “replace” them in the rotation? Well I suppose it’s a coin flip. You take the good with the bad (JJ looked OK last time out – then not so good tonight).
But with all of these guys we have just dying to get their shot? And most of them seem ready to at least keep a game close. I’d take a “quality” start from Delgado over watching JJ get lit up right now.
On the other hand, when Chipper was ragging on JD Drew? Who was going to replace him? Like I said. All relative to the situation. But at some point, it’s up to the manager or even the GM to step in and make a decision when clearly the players are not always capable of making that decision.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:16 am
So if J.J. goes 9 innings next start, has a complete game,and wins. Will most of you feel the same way as tonight?
N8
August 31st, 2011
1:19 am
Tom, I also think it’s relative to the standings.
The Braves can say all they want that they’re still trying to catch the Phillies.Which is fine. Aim high and at least the wild card is there to be had. But I stated last week (when the lead was 6.5) that I thought we’d have to go at least 5-1 against them in the remaining head to head (if not sweep them), in order to realistically expect a shot at the division. I don’t think that thought is out of line.
If our lead in the wild card was 2 games? The perhaps you ask JJJ to suck it up and give us what he’s got. On the other hand, maybe that’s when it would be more important to rest him and keep him out. Hard to say.
But with an 8.5 game lead? Why not let the kids pitch.
The only excuse I’ll “accept” as a fan as to why JJ isn’t shut down and one of the young guns being put in the rotation for a couple of weeks is that they’re afraid to pile up too many innings on these kids. Can’t blaim Wren for that. But then there has to be another option, doesn’t there? How about a spot start from C-Mart?
I laughed when I read the mini-headline “Minor availabe in pen next two nights”.
Hopefully he’s available to sart in 4 days when JJ’s turn comes up again. LOL
The A Bomb
August 31st, 2011
1:20 am
CHICAGO 5 SAN FRANCISCO 2 FINAL
Braves very fortunate Giants in the deep freeze.
Tom O'Hawke
August 31st, 2011
1:21 am
N8
I agree with that, naturally. As long as the better, hurting player isn’t going to make things worse.
I’ve said this before on here, and I’m sure I’ll say it again.
When a player is feeling pain — TELL THE FREAKIN’ TRAINER!!!!!
Let them decide what’s causing the pain, and whether or not they can still play without making it worse. That’s what they’re there for!
When I hear that a player (Heyward, JJ) has had a problem for a little while, without telling anyone, my blood wants to boil.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:21 am
I’m not going to cmplain about every pitch,and every at bat. It’s pointless,and it gets you no where.We will get them tomorrow……..
cabravesfan
August 31st, 2011
1:21 am
because Cristhian pitched so well today?
Rob from SC
August 31st, 2011
1:21 am
In all seriousness, should Chipper be to blame for Heyward struggling. Heyward forced himself to come back too soon because of Chipper’s comments. MAybe if he took a few weeks off, he wouldn’t be struggling. I hate when players call each other out over injuries.
Ward
August 31st, 2011
1:22 am
Yes!Thank You Cubs!!!!!!!!!