Wren Q and A Part II: Talking McCann, Prado, Bourn and more
Braves general manager Frank Wren sat down with selected members of the media following the end of the Braves season, discussing topics ranging from the September collapse to roster projections. In Part II of that interview, Wren talks about Brian McCann’s late-season troubles, the prospects of signing Michael Bourn long-term and Freddie Freeman’s breakout season, among other things.
Here are excerpts from the remainder of that interview. (Part I is available at ajc.com/braves)
Q. How much did injuries play a role, like in the case of Brian McCann?
A. It’s clear Brian was not the same hitter after the injury. It’s something we’ve never seen with Brian in five years, so it’s hard for me to say. I do know you’re talking about a guy that works hard and cares more than anyone on this team and is as responsible as anyone on this team, and he couldn’t pull himself out of the struggles, and we couldn’t help him pull out of the struggles. He took more extra batting practice and spent more time watching video and comparing good swings to bad swings than anyone you could imagine and just couldn’t reverse. I think when the pressure mounts as it did in September that can be debilitating, and I think we saw that with a lot of hitters.
Q. Did you see swings that looked like he was trying to protect his oblique?
A. I think Brian took a lot of swings that looked normal and he took some swings that didn’t look so normal to me. But I don’t know that that was based on the oblique or whether he was protecting it. But I think it was very tough for him to get his timing back after that.
Q. Do you look at Martin Prado’s season as an aberration?
A. This was a tough year for him, and I think it’s hard to really evaluate what that staph infection meant to him. In a lot of ways to me it’s similar to what happened with McCann after the oblique. They were not quite the same…I’m not a doctor so I don’t know physiologically what exactly (the staph infection) means but we saw a different Martin.
Q. Do you think moving to left field had a negative effect on him at the plate?
A. It shouldn’t affect him. Let’s put it that way.
Q. Will he be back in left field?
A. I think the likelihood (is good). We’re still a couple weeks away from having our real planning meeting where we look exactly what we think the club will look like.
Q. Would you hesitate to move him to a third position in three years?
A. We’re not there. We’re not to the point where we’ve had any discussions like that.
Q. Do you go into next season in a similar position with Chipper Jones, knowing he’s your third baseman but you can’t play him every day?
A. It’s probably exacerbated a little more because we know with his knee situation it’s going to be hard for him to play seven days in a row. That’s just the reality. We’ve got to take care of him to keep him healthy for the long haul. We also saw that when he got a roll this year, he was a pretty dynamic player. It’s probably unrealistic for us to expect that all the time, but he gave us a lot of good games at third base and a lot of big hits throughout the season.
Q. How much of the September collapse was a result of the ripple effect of losing Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson to injuries?
A. It’s hard for me to pin it on the pitching because we had 17 games in September when we gave up four runs or less. So that doesn’t indicate to me that the pitching was a problem.
Q. How concerned are you about Hanson’s shoulder?
A. Based on the information we have right now, not very. It’s just going to take some time. None of the doctors have come back with any structural damage, and so it’s one of those things where we were trying to ramp him up and see if we could get him ready to pitch at some point in the postseason if we made the postseason, and he couldn’t get going that quickly.
Q. Do you go into the winter looking to improve bullpen depth?
A. Not really because I felt like Cristhian Martinez was a guy that really came on. I thought Anthony Varvaro really did well…So we feel like we have some internal choices, and it also depends on what happens with Kris Medlen and what role he’s in because he really can do a variety of things and be very valuable.
Q. What do you tell Medlen about his role heading into the winter?
A. He could do so many things. The great thing was getting him back and getting him into major league games and competing again, because it sends him off with the confidence that he knows he’s back, and we know he’s back. And whether he’s a starter or a reliever – I don’t know the answer to that right now – but he can do either.
Q. Do you try to sign Michael Bourn to a contract extension this offseason?
A. I don’t know the answer to that. He’s an arbitration eligible player that we’ll go through the process. If those discussions come up during that process , we’ll explore it. We like Michael a lot. We like what he brings to the team. We like the infusion of speed.
Q. Nice to get what you did out of Freddie Freeman?
A. He had just a terrific breakout year. He laid a great foundation in Triple-A a year ago and showed what kind of hitter he could be and he carried it through. He has a great approach. He has a good swing, I think he uses the whole feel very well and that makes him a dangerous hitter. For a lot of people the knock was would he have enough power. I don’t think anybody is going to question that any more. As he grows and learns, he has plenty of power.
Q. Now you have to hope he doesn’t endure the sophomore slump?
A. No one is immune to it, that’s for sure, but I think his swing is one that allows for pretty consistent play.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
262 comments Add your comment
LuisG - Julio Franco for hitting coach!
October 3rd, 2011
1:20 pm
Thanks CR!
JackDennis
October 3rd, 2011
1:22 pm
Good stuff, DOB.
@bosoque
October 3rd, 2011
1:23 pm
I feel for Wren. He put the pieces together, but something just isn’t right. This team should have been great, but it just didn’t work. Maybe something will present itself this offseason, but there isn’t a lot on the FA market that the Braves need.
Braves11
October 3rd, 2011
1:27 pm
1st. My concern is ss and rf. I read where Reyes might be an option at SS,but would the Braves spend that kind of money? I still think Heyward bounces back,but do you put all your hopes in that?
Braves11
October 3rd, 2011
1:28 pm
ok 5th…
GOMETS
October 3rd, 2011
1:33 pm
this team neeeds lots o work but got good pieces
Braves11
October 3rd, 2011
1:34 pm
Any idea who might be the hitting coach? Here is a thought Don Baylor.
GOMETS
October 3rd, 2011
1:35 pm
was nate healthy at the end and just wasnt activated or was still hurt
MaSSaHH
October 3rd, 2011
1:37 pm
the difference between Joe Maddon and Fruity is that Maddon is man enough to start a rookie with 1 major league start in game 1 of the playoffs with Fruity going with over-the-hill Low(s)er… and we all know the outcome, thank you for ruining our season, Fruity guy.
bruce
October 3rd, 2011
1:40 pm
Thanks Carroll
Kentavo
October 3rd, 2011
1:43 pm
First!
I’ve never done that.
Kentavo
October 3rd, 2011
1:44 pm
Ok, not 1st.
vietnamviet
October 3rd, 2011
1:45 pm
Interesting comments by the GM in that he talks about Brian McCann injuries and the possible impact they had on his late-season troubles. However, he did not give the second year player (JH) the same break or consideration.
Tech Rules
October 3rd, 2011
1:52 pm
vietnamviet,
Heyward’s issue this year appear to be more of “there’s a scouting report on him now” than “he’s playing hurt”.
dozer
October 3rd, 2011
1:52 pm
Looks like its settled – between injuries & Larry Parrish we figured out what went wrong. problem solved – gotta tip my cap to the Braves braintrust.
Kirk
October 3rd, 2011
1:53 pm
Thanks Carroll, you seem to ask the right questions.
southern hope
October 3rd, 2011
1:55 pm
thanks DOB…I’m mourning both the end of baseball season *and* the end of your game-day blogs.
On the positive side, I would *love* to see the Cardinals wipe the Phillys out in the first round.
Klaus
October 3rd, 2011
1:59 pm
Good questions Carol. It doesn’t look like Wren is jumping the gun on Bourne. He likes Bourne but I think after the Uggla scare (extend and tank) Wren will think twice about extending someone too soon.
He needs to see where he ends up in Arb and then see how much of a factor he is in 1H2012.
With Bourne the Braves were a .500 team so he didn’t change fortunes that much. Some of that is b/c the team stinks at situational hitting. They don’t know how to use speed strategically so approaches will need to change properly leverage Bourne. He doesn’t work on a team holding out for the 3run homer.
Boras being Bourne’s agent will also factor in though more on the money side versus personalities. Wren has no issue dealing with Boras but Bourne could look too expensive and they may just let him walk.
I don’t like the Prado in LF idea. He is a human book mark waiting for Chipper to finally break down for good or retire. Those are not qualifications for a LFer. The team needs a slugging LF who can drive in runs (not just with HRs) and offset a light hitting CF and a ?mark in RF.
Prado is not that guy by a long shot.
I think they will have to trade him unless they can get Chipper to retire earlier or defer his 2012 salary. The only role I see for Prado is a 3B platoon and a super utility back up gig.
Fols
October 3rd, 2011
1:59 pm
I think there was some meaning behind Wren’s comment there on Freddie’s swing.
When you look at Heyward and Freeman standing at the plate waiting for a pitch…they are night and day apart. Freeman stands in there, solid, in control, you just see the steady consistant attack. Heyward should work on that same approach. He’s got his knees all bent up, he’s rocking away, stands off the plate…..he just looks so dangly and small up there and the guy is a beast.
Someone needs to straighten him up.
McFann O O o
October 3rd, 2011
2:06 pm
vietnamviet Interesting comments by the GM in that he talks about Brian McCann injuries and the possible impact they had on his late-season troubles. However, he did not give the second year player (JH) the same break or consideration.
BMac’s got a good-sized track record as being a very productive player…Heyward, as you said, was only in his second year. But I do think injuries played some kinda roll in Heyward’s performance as well, at least at some point…
NS in Kennesaw
October 3rd, 2011
2:08 pm
I’m wondering about conditioning of the Bravo players in the off season. I mean,
(1) Is this something the like of GM or Mgr will tell each individual that they are expected be in tip top shape reportin to Spring break?
(2) Is there some mandatory off season conditioning they have to do?
I know it is a long season of 162 games and the Bravo played 168 (due to extract innings). But the Bravos looked “out of gas” toward the last 10-15 games. On the other hand, every other teams also played the same amount of games but they did not look as flat as the Bravos during the same period.
DOB and other fan, any comments please.
GO BRAVES !!!
NS in Kennesaw
October 3rd, 2011
2:09 pm
correction “extra innings” not “extract innings”
polskidawg
October 3rd, 2011
2:12 pm
Good interview.
I wonder if the Braves (and Chipper) would consider switching Chipper (LF) and Prado (3B)? Neither would be an All-Star, but should be adequate defensively. It also seems to me that LF would be less of a pounding on Chipper’s knees – soft grass versus infield dirt, less diving, etc.
Of course, that’s only if Chipper’s knees can handle the quick start and stop movements.
In my opinion, they need to sign Bourn, trade Lowe to the AL for a lower A prospect, and trade JJ to the AL for 2 or 3 good OF/3B prospects.
Larry30
October 3rd, 2011
2:25 pm
Mandatory off season conditioning for these guys? I’m rolling on the floor laughing.
Gordon
October 3rd, 2011
2:26 pm
The reason Wren didn’t mention Heyward was because he wasn’t asked.
Wren Talks Prado, Chipper, Bourn | Forex News
October 3rd, 2011
2:32 pm
[...] Series. Atlanta GM Frank Wren looked ahead to the offseason in a Q&A with reporters, including Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The [...]
Piedmont Blues
October 3rd, 2011
2:33 pm
Nicely done, CR.
wjones
October 3rd, 2011
2:35 pm
“polskidawg
October 3rd, 2011
2:12 pm
Good interview.
I wonder if the Braves (and Chipper) would consider switching Chipper (LF) and Prado (3B)? Neither would be an All-Star, but should be adequate defensively. It also seems to me that LF would be less of a pounding on Chipper’s knees – soft grass versus infield dirt, less diving, etc.
Of course, that’s only if Chipper’s knees can handle the quick start and stop movements.
In my opinion, they need to sign Bourn, trade Lowe to the AL for a lower A prospect, and trade JJ to the AL for 2 or 3 good OF/3B prospects.”
FYI, Chipper agreed to move to LF in 2002 to accomodate the team when they wanted to pursue, for whatever reason, Vinny Castilla. He spent two plus years out there, and that’s where the body breakdown started, particularly his feet. So the chances of him agreeing to move to the outfield are basically nonexistent.
Piedmont Blues
October 3rd, 2011
2:37 pm
I think the position swaps that need to be considered (for 2013 if not 2012) is Prado back to 2B and Uggla to 3B (or LF and acquire another 3B). The Braves infielders have about as much mobility as statues. Sure, they don’t make errors, but they don’t get to anything, either. That’s a problem when your three top innings eaters (Hudson, Lowe, Jurrjens) pitch to contact. We can only hope that Pastornicky has Furcal’s range. Otherwise, the Braves again will give up a lot of hits that would be outs for other teams.
VinceVanGo
October 3rd, 2011
2:38 pm
I think the Braves are set at only 4 positions for the short term future, first(Freeman), second(Uggla), short(Pastornicky, and the pitching staff(tremendous depth). Chipper’s hopefully gone after one more year(please) but I don’t think that Prado is the answer there nor in left. Bourn’s probably gone after next year, and who knows what the real Jason Heyward is like. So they may need a complete makeover in the outfield as well as a third baseman. Then there’s the catcher position. I know McCann’s young but I’m afraid he may have seen his better days. Catcher is a tough position and extremely so for a pudgy person who seems to wear down quicker than a muscular person. I think now(this winter) before he shows that he’s on a downward slide next year the Braves ought to shop him to an A.L. team for a designated hitter and get a boatload of prospects for him while his worth is very high. Get rid of Lowe, trade J.J. this winter for prospects before he hits F.A. after next year, and then trade Hanson the next winter for prospects before he hits F.A. If you have any questions Frank get my email address from Dave O’Brien.
Larry30
October 3rd, 2011
2:38 pm
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen someone on this blog or the blogs on the braves’ website say “trade lowe.” he will be in a braves uniform until the last dime of that contract is finally paid for. Wren would trade him for a dozen baseballs if the other team would take him and assume all of the contract.
Klaus
October 3rd, 2011
2:39 pm
I agree the Braves looked flat and it could be conditioning and likely is to a degree.
That said baseball players need a stoic player to rally them when the pressure mounts. They need a guy who will put the team on his back at crunch time and they lack that player.
They have streaky offensive players, esp the Vets, who just don’t instill that sense of fire or stability.
This team played not to lose (versus to win) from manager on down (for all of September). The confidence was low and that was not a great complement to being a bit tuckered (which is a poor excuse).
The Braves need their “go to guy”, the calm in the storm or better yet the storm in the calm to get them past what has now become a predictable funk.
They won’t say it publicly but I think they expected to fail or at least feared it. When their fears started to come true it snowballed.
Put it another way, they lack the killer instinct, swagger etc needed to not be happy with a 8.5 game lead in a WC or division. The need to be unsatisfied with coasting into the playoffs – burning up a cushion versus adding to it.
All the hat tipping was for teams that play 100% on every swing, every catch, pitch and every inning. Relentless is the word that best describes those winning teams.
The Braves need to become a relentless team. If they do the wins will come and the funks will fade away.
That is why Wren needs to drop the conservative model of building teams, not OD on pitching and get some players (more than one – solo adds do little) with fire and the stats the back it up.
Until them tweaking and fiddling will only yield more fades and uninspiring baseball when teams should be at their best.
Larry30
October 3rd, 2011
2:41 pm
Another makeover for the braves outfield? This has been an annual exercise since the end of the 2005 season. What happened to Ryan church?
Truth
October 3rd, 2011
2:43 pm
Q. Now you have to hope he doesn’t endure the sophomore slump?
A. No one is immune to it, that’s for sure, but I think his swing is one that allows for pretty consistent play.
I think this says a lot about Wren’s lack of confidence (which I share) that Heyward will figure it out. Seems he doesn’t believe a sophomore slump is the problem, but rather a fundamentally flawed swing. I see Heyward spending some time back in the minors next season.
kimbrel rocks
October 3rd, 2011
2:43 pm
can we please drop the REYES TALK. he is not coming to atl. and we should be grateful.
Larry30
October 3rd, 2011
2:45 pm
As soon as you hear a team concede the division in august when they are down by single digits then you know you are dealing with losers, plain and simple. If the cardinals had the same attitude about the wild card that the braves had about the division, they would be heading out to their deer stands about now.
Pogo
October 3rd, 2011
2:46 pm
Prado is a utility player at best. To count on him as an everyday player at any position is the the same insane policy which led to the debacle of the last month. He could not hit in the two spot, yet we continued night after night to run him out there. His lack of hustle the last two weeks was terrible. Package him with a pitcher while he still has some value and get somthing in return that can actually help this team.
Juan
October 3rd, 2011
2:48 pm
Klaus: “With Bourne the Braves were a .500 team so he didn’t change fortunes that much”
Where you been in the North Pole?….Did you miss the 2011 Season?
SHHHH.
Larry30
October 3rd, 2011
2:52 pm
Bourne is the first center fielder we have had since andruw left town. If there hadn’t been some kind of personal baloney going on we might still have Francouer playing in right field. When the braves start caring more about winning than having a “professional demeanor” we might see some passion coming out of this bunch. And that problem starts right at the top with the sel proclaimed genius, schuerholz.
Scott from Fairburn
October 3rd, 2011
2:54 pm
Really fascinating stuff from DOB … especially if you parse it out …
Wren on Chipper: It’s probably exacerbated a little more because we know with his knee situation it’s going to be hard for him to play seven days in a row. That’s just the reality. We’ve got to take care of him to keep him healthy for the long haul.
I did a quick check on consecutive games played by Chipper during the season. After playing 21 games (62 ABs) in spring training, he opened the season by playing 9 consecutive games, followed by runs of 13, 9, and 10 games.
Wren on pitching: It’s hard for me to pen it on the pitching because we had 17 games in September when we gave up four runs or less. So that doesn’t indicate to me that the pitching was a problem.
Although I couldn’t find the quote, Gonzalez was quoted in a recent DOB post about looking for pitching in the off-season.
Finally, Gonzalez announces all coaches back, Wren says not.
I would like to have a microphone in on the upcoming meetings …
kwajbraves
October 3rd, 2011
3:01 pm
The only tipping that I want to see next year is tipping that Chick-A-Fill cow in left field. I had enough with the cap tipping stuff.
RemoW
October 3rd, 2011
3:03 pm
I like Wren’s outlook on the pitching. The kids that came up and filled in did not sink us. Although they did work the a well used bullpen. But 17 games of 4 runs or less? I would love to see the win / loss on those 17 games. Any offense at all and we should win half of those 17 easy.
I like Wren and how he is looking at this team. He seems to be a realist and is not making excuses.
RemoW
October 3rd, 2011
3:05 pm
Larry30: You did watch all those Braves AB by Francouer waived weakly at pitch after pitch and refused coaching? Also the part of him turning down a long term contract offer?
The Red
October 3rd, 2011
3:10 pm
Remember, Bobby Cox hired John Schuerholz. This year was about a transition from the Cox/Schuerholz Braves to the Wren/Gonzales Braves. I read the Wren comments as them being ready to make that transition. Almost a “Now we’re going to do it MY way” gauntlet drop. I saw Fredi deal with Hanley Ramirez last year and feel he can put his own stamp on this club when the time comes, and I think it’s now.
Jbailz
October 3rd, 2011
3:13 pm
Everyone that is talking about Francouer needs to remember that we weren’t playing with 2011 Francouer we were playing with a guy that showed up whaled at some pitches low and out (much like A-Gon this year without the spectacular Defense) and acted like we should all bow down cuz he hit like 12 HR’s all year.
Frenchy’s days as a Brave are over and the move to KC was the best thing that ever happened to him and Melky. We need to look in a different direction for our future.
jim
October 3rd, 2011
3:14 pm
Agree with much of what VinceVanGo has posted.
I think he Braves whould look to trade McCann and Prado this offseason for reasons stipulated. I would like to keep Bourn, but if they aren’t going to sign him, who has higher value? They need to prepare for the first post-Chipper year — 2013 and have a more patient, contact hitting team in place that can build runs. I would not try to trade JJ or Hanson until they demonstrate they are healthy and can bring a better return. I don’t know if Uggla is movable, but I would not mind seeing him traded also. We need a consistent hitter, not 235 with 36 HRs and only about 80 RBIs. As he gets older those numbers are not likely to improve very much. It is WAY too soon to give up on Heyward. I think the Uptons are a better comparison than Francouer when talking about Heyward. It took them a while to develop, but their upside now is much higher than JF’s. (BTW — the shortstop in 2013 might be Simmons, not Pastornicky)
jim
October 3rd, 2011
3:24 pm
I would like t see a comparison between games started by Schafer and games started by Bourn. I know there were other factors at play in determining how the team fard in those games, but the stats I would like to see for those games would be:
1. Runs scored/game between the two
2. SB success rate/game (SB/ATTEMPTS * GAMES AS BRAVE STARTER)
3. Team winning percentage
Schafer wasthe target of a lot of abuse on this blog, but he scored a lot of runs when he was on the team and had an attitude that had a positive effect on the play of the team that was sorely lacking during the final month of the season.
Klaus
October 3rd, 2011
3:29 pm
Juan -
The Braves record from when Bourne came over to the last day of the season was .500. They were an above .500 team before he came here so he did not push them over the edge. I specified why that was the case.
Read it again before rolling eyes. Geeeesh back.
Heyward gets on base now
October 3rd, 2011
3:32 pm
Sign Bourn, don’t give up on Heyward. Deal Lowe. Keep Prado, but if he and Heyward don’t produce this year bag em.
Get rid of JJ. Three years in a row he gets hurt and misses just about all of the second half.
Get rid of Gonzo. He played defense well all year and was clutch at the plate in September, but he gave us no run production. Give Pastrami a chance at SS.
Uggla is fine, Mac is fine.
Get some help in the bullpen. We need one more quality arm at least.
Start exploring options at third. I think 2012 will be Chipper’s final year.
Jbailz
October 3rd, 2011
3:32 pm
I’m against trading Uggla, he hit 235 at the end of the year after pressing cuz of a big contract. I’m really excited to see him play next year and he’s a hard nosed hustler. I’d take 9 of him any day on my team. Also let’s remember it’s not his fault that most of his HR’s are solo shots because we can’t play station to station baseball in front of our biggest long ball threat.
If we play baseball all year like we did the first inning of game 162 (Bourn leads off and steals second, Prado moves him and Chipper sac’s him in) we are playing in the playoffs right now instead of hanging at Chipper’s ranch.
Brian Asselstine
October 3rd, 2011
3:35 pm
If Bourn and Constanza are at top of order, they will make playofs. Speed never slumps. If overhyped J-Hey has to play, they will struggle.
Brian Asselstine
October 3rd, 2011
3:37 pm
Bourn is 10 times the player Schafer was. The final game he had 3 hits and a walk. You dont sign that guy, you are crazy!
Sutton's Fro
October 3rd, 2011
3:44 pm
There should be one answer to the (2) questions about Prado and Chipper: send Prado to the bench! Neither one is an everyday player, but can still make valuable contributions. With Prado, Ross, Conrad, Diaz, and possibly Hinske and Pastornicky, we could have the best bench in the league!
Ron Roberts
October 3rd, 2011
3:45 pm
Salasry-wise, it would seem we shed $13.2 million by not picking up McLouth’s option and losing Linebrink and Sherrill.
With OF and SS as glaring needs, I’d prefer we get a Raul Ibanez-type LF and put Prado at SS because finding a power-hitting SS is harder than a power-hitting LF. Beltran or DeJesus, maybe Josh Willingham would be suitable, wouldn’t they?
I like Alex Gonzalez’ glove, but his streaky bat drove me nuts. Dude knocked 20 HRs before he got here at the All-Star break last season and never put together a stretch like that again with us.
Man, if we could ONLY convince Lowe to retire, we’d have the flexibility to be MAJOR free-agent players. Truth be told, we don’t have major holes outside of LF and SS; our rotation’s still deep, with or without Jair and/or Hanson. Huddy, Minor, Medlen, Beachy, Delgado and Jair/Hanson give us plenty of starting options and our bullpen is fine – when not burned out early in the season. Got to get the younger starters to go longer and prevent that. Having C. Martinez step up late in the season should mean we see more of him and less of “O’Ventbrel,” so that’s a plus.
Sophomore slumpin’ Heyward gets himself right, McCann comes back to form and Prado gets himself right, add the LF pop we need and I think we’re as well-rounded a tam as there’ll be in the majors.
what of it?
October 3rd, 2011
3:45 pm
we’ve taken 4 years to find a decent center fielder and Wren isn’t sure if we should sign him long term?
Klaus
October 3rd, 2011
3:52 pm
I think everyone not named FF, Hudson, Beachy, Kimbrel, Venters, Bourne, Delgado, Teheran and maybe Uggla could be traded or asked if they would approve a trade (Chipper). Mac is a long shot to be moved but you never know. I think Wren’s eyes have been opened and he is under some real pressure from up top.
Two seasons of September fades the second one with a better team than 2010 is not how you want to start the first year of a new 3 yr deal. He is too far away from the JS mess to say the team i
Francona was let go over a comparable fade and Epstein is looking at the Cubs gig. That is not going unnoticed in Colorado or in ATL.
bravesfan54
October 3rd, 2011
4:01 pm
Six or seven years ago Eric Hinske was a full-time 3b for a couple of seasons and did quite well at that position – as a recall about 10 errors over the course of 140 some games. He did well offensively that year. Is he an option at third?
RPollardRealtor
October 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
Great questions DOB. We have to sign Bourn to an extentension! Get on it FW!!! Next few years FW is going to look like a genius with all the young studs we have on our team. This was a very young team and it showed at the end. Lets build on this experience and ride it into next year baby! Lets Go Braves!
RPollardRealtor
October 3rd, 2011
4:12 pm
@Klaus,
First Francona wasn’t let go, it as a mutual split. Francoana felt he lost the team early in August. The players on that Sox club’s personalities are way over the top. The only player I feel we have on our team with that personality is Derek Lowe. He thinks he is the man and doesn’t think he needs to be held accountable. I really feel Derek Lowe is a cancer to this team. This clubhouse lid is closed tight so you wouldn’t hear much about it but when he got that DUI in buckhead things just seemed to be tailing over there at the end. We need to send Lowe packing!
Henry Aaron's Ghost
October 3rd, 2011
4:13 pm
Feel for Wren????? Surely you are jesting?? This is the same fool who signed KK to a massive contract for nothing, signed McLousy to a big contract for nothing, gave $60 to an 18 game loser and is still stuck with him for another year. Even says that Lowe might not start next year. Well he ain’t closing, so I guess they pay $15 MILLION for a middle reliever, mop up guy. Man, that’s smart. The stupid mistakes this guy made cost this team the ability to get decent players at a time when they needed them. Made them stuck with the likes of Brooks and Eric who could not hit this year. Right, poor Wren. Sure.
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:15 pm
They wouldn’t trade Chipper. Even if he only plays 130 games he will out produce Prado at 3b.He wouldn’t approve a trade anyway, and why should he?
Constanza is not a major league hitter (as was proven after the scouting report got out on him and stopped getting on base) It doesn’t matter how fast you are when you are jogging back to the dugout. AT MOST Constanza will be the 4th OF’er and likely will end up back in AAA or traded .
I would love to keep Bourn for his D alone , but he’s a Boras guy and I’m not so sure that the Braves will be able to outbid for him.
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:19 pm
Ummm Henry Aarons ghost you got a few things wrong there.
FW didn’t sign Mclouth, he was traded for after having a very good year. It’s not FW’s fault that mclouth folded like a tent once he got to Atlanta.
KK’s signing lies at the feet of the scouting dept. They make the recommendations and the gM has to trust them. Not to mention KK was mishandled as he pitched about the same as Lowe and got demoted…. I wonder if there was something else going on behind the scenes there…
The Lowe thing was a mistake, but it could be worse , we could have Burnett!
I think when you consider the Jurrjens trade, the Javier Vazquez trade and the Uggla trade…. Wren has done a good job. better than JS did the last 5 or 6 years.
bulldogbubba
October 3rd, 2011
4:20 pm
Where are all the Phillie fans.How can we blog without them?
Bama Mike
October 3rd, 2011
4:21 pm
WIth no guarantees who is judging Wren’s performance?
Robert
October 3rd, 2011
4:25 pm
Ghost, you are so right.
I would like to see Bradley and the rest of the AJC writers start holding Wren accountable.
joemoedee
October 3rd, 2011
4:28 pm
It’s hard to situational hit when there’s no one on base.
Case in point, the Braves were 3rd in the league in HR… yet 10th in runs.
The so maligned Nate McLouth was tied for 3rd on the team in OBP with Chipper. That means there were a lot of solo home runs.
A lot of that will improve by cutting loose AGon. (.270 OBP) and if Prado and Heyward can return to their previous form. The game completely changes when runners are on base.
Robert
October 3rd, 2011
4:33 pm
Nick, the Ghost is right on target.
While the scouting department may have recommended signing Kawakami, a 3 year contract for all of those dollars is all on Wren and only Wren. No one else would have given him that kind of money…there’s a reason for that.
RPollardRealtor
October 3rd, 2011
4:34 pm
@Henryaaronsghost & NickB,
Nick you are so right we could of had AJ Burnett. HAG, you have to understand the only pitcher we had was Jair Jurrjens when we signed Derek Lowe and Javiar Vaz, and also signed KK. Also were thinking about trading for Jake Peavy and look what he’s done since then. FW did what he had to do and has done an awesome job.
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:34 pm
Hopefully the OBP will get fixed by bringing in a hitting coach who preaches patience over aggressiveness.
Robert
October 3rd, 2011
4:39 pm
And by the way, NickB…the jury is most definitely still out on the Uggla trade. 36 HRs is really good. .233 is really pathetic. Are we going to see the Uggla of the first half of the season again?
It is mind boggling to see fans actually defend Wren.
RPollardRealtor
October 3rd, 2011
4:41 pm
Robert,
what did Omar Infante and Mike Dunn do that we are still out on the Uggla trade? That’s what we traded for him for. His Home Runs!
RPollardRealtor
October 3rd, 2011
4:42 pm
He also played a damn good 2nd base from what I saw. Which I saw over 100 games.
MikeY
October 3rd, 2011
4:47 pm
McLouth, Kawakami, Linebrink, Sherrill, A Gonzalez, and likely Moylen all come off the payroll, saving the Braves almost $20 Million. We’ll have to spend a few million in arbitration increases. But the Braves should have serious money to go after their needs (my view, a SS, RH-hitting OF, backup SS, maybe a veteran reliever or two). Note that after Rollins and Reyes, there is not much depth out there at SS in the free agent ranks. A Gonzalez might be third best (or maybe Furcal?).
Lowe’s contract is a real problem for a trade. The Braves either have to eat a lot of contract (say, $10M, in which case there is not much left for filling the needs on the team), or the Braves will have to trade his bad contract for another team’s bad contract (like Carlos Zambrano or Carlos Lee. Ugh!)
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:48 pm
I’m defending him because if one considers the payroll imitations imposed on him he has done a great job. I can’t understand how you could think otherwise.
Are we hamstrung with a 7 yr $100mill+ contract? NO , have we drafted and signed good young talent and developed it to major league levels? YES. When the worst contract on the team is one $15mill pier yr pitcher, I’d say yer doing a pretty good job.
Uggla started out lousy but his 2nd half he hit .296/.379/.569 for an OPS of 948. Considering that Infante hit worse than that . I ‘d say the Uggla deal was a really good deal for Atlanta.
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:50 pm
if we can get someone to take Lowe and the team eats $10mill, that still leaves $5mill extra to spend and that could be the difference between a mediocre player and a great one…
MikeY
October 3rd, 2011
4:51 pm
Another measure of how ugly the offense was: Uggla with his .233 average led the team in runs (with 88, 21 more than Freeman’s 67), and in RBIs (with 82, 6 better than Freeman’s 76).
Zenman
October 3rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Trade Lowe & Fredi for Madden. That solves personel concerns.
Get a good trainer who is capable of reaching the players concerning how important it is to be in shape. That would lesson injuries.
Increase players baseball IQ. That would decrease the stupidity show every game.
That should about do it.
Fan ignorance is too far gone to ever be fixed. Most not all. Relax, watch the Rays.
MikeY
October 3rd, 2011
4:53 pm
NickB, you are correct, having to pay $10M to get someone to take Lowe does free up $5M for signing free agents. Thank for the correction…
NickB
October 3rd, 2011
4:55 pm
Any savings at this point would be good IMO…. I wish he’d retire, but he won’t. I just hope we don’t end up paying a middle reliever $15 million bucks!!!!!!!!!
Stinger2
October 3rd, 2011
4:58 pm
All of you who thanked DOB for this should now apologize to Carroll and thank her. This seems to happen a lot. Just
read the name on the byline.
eaglebrave
October 3rd, 2011
5:04 pm
Blaming Martin Prado or saying that he is no longer a starter is crazy. He was an All-star in 2010 at second base. He was then asked to move to LF for 2011 (a position that he had never played). I totally agree that he did not have a great year, but no one could have expected him to have 30 HR and 100 RBI just because he is now a “Left Fielder”. The biggest thing – Don’t forget the man missed about a month of the season when he had to have his leg sliced open to have a staph infection removed and let the leg heal! Hope to see you back at full speed in 2012, Martin!
Felix
October 3rd, 2011
5:14 pm
The Phillies’ fans aren’t gonna be trolling today; they are licking their wounds after one of their aces got beat at home yesterday. The Cards offense made Lee look average. By now Phillies’ fans are beginning to face the stark reality that they can kick sand in the face of weaker teams like the Braves, but the Cards are tough, on a mission and just might kick their butts.
Derek Lowe in FW's Office Today
October 3rd, 2011
5:17 pm
But Frank, I don’t even know how to get to Mississippi.
MikeY
October 3rd, 2011
5:18 pm
Potential 2012 Free Agent Shortstops:
Yuniesky Betancourt
Ronny Cedeno
Adam Everett
Rafael Furcal
Alex Gonzalez
Cesar Izturis
John McDonald
Augie Ojeda
Jose Reyes
Nick Punto
Edgar Renteria
Jose Reyes
Jimmy Rollins
Ramon Santiago
Marco Scutaro
Jack Wilson
Not a lot to smile about past Reyes and Rollins, both will be expensive and are injury prone. I do not think Pastornicki is quite ready, it would be good to get a 1-year deal witha free agent SS to give Pastornicki time to develop.
bostonbravesfanforlife
October 3rd, 2011
5:20 pm
Why is everyone so concerned with SS. AG played a superior defense this year even though he struggled at the plate. If all the HITTERS actually hit, no one would have noticed this. As for Hinskey, he came up as a short stop and was a rookie of the year, but that was 60 lbs ago. He could not get out of his own way at 3rd base now although he is valuable in the role he plays. Heyward needs to shrink his ego a little bit and start listening more but maybe they can cure that problem with a Don Baylor type. Chipper still swears by the way DB helped him out especially establishing his right hand power numbers. They have been off since DB left. Nate is gone, Kawakami is gone, and D. Lowe needs to acclimate himself to also ran because obviously he isn’t in the plans unless he throws nothing but zeros in spring training. It will be tough on the staff next year without a lot of real veteran pitchers but if the hitting comes around, that shouldn’t be a real big problem.
P Rose
October 3rd, 2011
5:24 pm
Q. Will Chipper play if he is hurt?
A. That depends on the injury. I mean, if he gets an ice cream headache that only lasts for 30 seconds, we’ll evaluate after it subsides. But if he has, say a hangover, then no, I don’t think we can play him and risk exposing him to further aggravating the hangover.
Q. Will shooting deer this offseason improve Chipper’s approach at the plate?
A. Not at the plate, no, but maybe in base running. Deer are defenseless, so he naturally enjoys killing them. But he is also helpless in running out grounders when he taps weakly to short. I think he sees himself as the deer, the shortstop as the hunter, and the ball as the bullet. That’s why he gives up, rather than running hard. He understands the deer has no chance.
Q. Will Chipper continue to run his mouth and incite opponents to play harder against the Braves?
A. I think that’s a given. Chipper is a natural born @$$.
Q. Does Chipper have anything to do with the Braves’ 16 consecutive fall collapses since 1995?
A. Of course. He is the only player to have been on all those teams, and he is the team leader. He was a rookie in 1995 when we won it all, but he was clearly not the leader then, David Justice was. Chipper’s negativity had not yet contaminated the clubhouse. But now it’s obvious that the team always flops in any elimination game because their leader is a man of low moral character.
Q. Chipper instigated a disturbing new trend among the Braves this year: hugging players in the dugout after they get a big hit or score a run. Will the dugout hugging continue into next season?
A. Certainly, but you have to remember, Chipper doesn’t hug all the players, just his favorites, the good old boys, especially Dan Uggla. He clearly prefers not to hug the players from the other side of the Gulf. He did hug Jason Heyward, obviously to seem open minded, but you could tell by the look n Jason’s face that he wasn’t too sure about it. This may have in fact contributed to Jason’s slump. But obviously the hugging decreased in the fall, because there were far fewer occasions to celebrate. I think you’ll find next year, as the team continues to nose dive, there will be less and less hugging, because there will be fewer big hits and fewer runs scored.
Q. Will you be glad when 2013 comes and Chipper finally retires?
A. You got that right, brother.
Octavius
October 3rd, 2011
5:31 pm
I thought that Wren should be demoted to locker room manager, but heck he’d probably screw that up too. Might as well just let him join Parrish.
Fire Larry Parrish
October 3rd, 2011
5:35 pm
This team’s going to be so much better in 2012 without losers like Derek Lowe and Nate McLouth. Addition by subtraction.
Pogo
October 3rd, 2011
5:37 pm
eaglebrave , Mclouth was an all-star too. He has had more injuries than you can count. Want to keep him too?
Bob the Blogger
October 3rd, 2011
5:39 pm
I would plattoon Heyward and Prado in RF until one of them asserted himself as the better option. That would free up left field for an upgrade. Prado is a good player, but does not have exceptional power, speed or on-base percentage. When Chipper can’t play, at least we don’t lose much by putting in Prado at 3B.
Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
October 3rd, 2011
5:46 pm
McCann’s problems stemmed from that 19 inning affair back on July 26th. I watched the whole damn thing and haven’t forgotten what really happened.
McCann injured his oblique in the third inning and for some reason Fredi left him in the game, probably because Mac talked his way into staying in the contest. But then when the game went into extra innings and Mac really seriously injured himself in the tenth inning, that was when the aha moment came…..
Fredi should have pulled McCann and didn’t, Mac went on the DL afterward. The result of our managers poor judgement contributed to the physical decline from Mac, which of course added to the overall collapse. Then when realizing that the abused bullpen ( O’Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel) also wore down, one questions the ability of Fredi Gonzalez to properly manage his players.
This fan for one has lost all faith in Fredi and until proven different, the man is a liability and on the hot seat in 2012. His job is on the line, period.
Derek Lowe.......WTF
October 3rd, 2011
5:49 pm
I notice you guys in the media didnt ask how stable/secure Freddi G’s job is……hmmmmmm. Treating Wren with kid gloves after the most drmatic meltdown in MLB history are we? Obviously the media in boston CARE…..u Atlanta media guys are total whusses……
morehouse man
October 3rd, 2011
5:52 pm
the braves will never be a good team as long as fredi is the manager. he ia an idiot.. did he not named lowe as the open day starter after only two weeks of spring training?
MikeY
October 3rd, 2011
5:54 pm
Bostonbravesfanforlife, I am concerned about SS because Alex Gonzalez is a free agent. I agree, he may be OK for next year, may be the third best FA SS out there for us to chose from. But he is as of right now, not signed as a Brave for next year, and the Braves have no rights to him. So we have a hole at SS, unless Partornicky really steps up in 2012.
Bob
October 3rd, 2011
5:54 pm
Great article Carroll, and the AJC should give you a substantial raise for having to interview this clown. Wren is part of the overall problem; clean house…get rid of the Cox Culture…hire some basball brains.
ijudgenot
October 3rd, 2011
5:55 pm
“I saw Fredi deal with Hanley Ramirez last year and feel he can put his own stamp on this club when the time comes, and I think it’s now.”
Fredi can’t put HIS stamp on this team, if he has one without Cox’s seal on it, as long as Chipper is still playing. To put his stamp on the team he has to do the things he said brought about the Hanly Ramirez incident. A manager has to be able to command that the best player or team leader on the team does everything he would expect the least talented player on the team to do. He can’t and won’t have Chipper do the training regimen, the situational hitting or drop in batting order that he could ask of others, therefore guys like McCann, Uggla and Heyward will continue to be free swinggers who swing at the first pitch(guessing fastball) 90% of the time. When you read the GM saying that they have to “protect”(coddle) a 40 year old player in order for him to play 120 games, you know and the other players know that the manager can’t require him to do what the other team members do. Check back with me in 2013 after Chipper finally(fingers crossed) hangs it up.
Bob
October 3rd, 2011
5:59 pm
Simple soultion: Just take Chippah off the roster and make him hitting coach for his last year. Surely we can find a .240 hitter that can play 160 games and have better than average fielding.
buckhead benny
October 3rd, 2011
6:04 pm
Mark,
how do you not ask about Jose Constanza and where you envision his role? They played awful when they took him out of the lineup and inserted Heyward everyday? How come you guys don’t analyze the fact that Constanza played one time since September 6th and this goes down as one of the worst collapses in baseball history. How do you as a reporter not ask or see the relevance of that?
they were on a terror with Constanza in the lineup- he even finished the year at over 300-
cowdogit
October 3rd, 2011
6:04 pm
Prediction’s for 2012. Chipper will arrive at spring training in a new motorized wheelchair and Frank will be so happy he will give him a new three year contract for forty five million. Prado will play a regular season at second base and win a batting title.Uggla will move to third and have a great year.McCann will swing so hard at a knuckle ball the bat will slip out of his hands and kill the New York Mets right fielder. While playing right field Jason Heyward will be watching a female fan will be hit in the forehead by a line drive, This will cause him to move back another foot in the batters box.Bobby Cox will have one of the braves announcers fired for suggesting pitching coach Leo mazzone had anything to do with winning the fourteen division titles.Derek Lowe will sign a new contract with the Miller beer company.During a phillies game Fredi will be cough asleep in the dugout wearing false eyelids.
Zenman
October 3rd, 2011
6:16 pm
Even if Braves don’t win next year, as long as some of the best predictiions come true I’ll be satisfied.
htownbravesfan
October 3rd, 2011
6:20 pm
I think there are three areas the Braves need to address in the off-season. The first is offense. Then take a look at more offense. Finally, get some offense. If there’s any money left over after addressing those three issues, put it toward more offense. We won’t survive in the NL East without it.
smallmouth6
October 3rd, 2011
6:21 pm
Buckhead Benny: I agree. It’s a failure of this writing staff, as much as I admire the work they did this year.
htownbravesfan
October 3rd, 2011
6:23 pm
Oh, and Bob, I believe Chipper hit better than .240 this year. Besides, do you really want to get rid of the best all around hitter we had in the last month?
Obee
October 3rd, 2011
6:28 pm
A lot of people love to trash Wren, but find me a GM who has been around for a while and hasn’t been saddled with what turned out to be a bad contract. It just goes with the job.
Rufino Linares
October 3rd, 2011
6:31 pm
ijudgenot, you don’t know enough about sports to be on here. Chipper is about the best hitter the Braves have. Fredi DID drop chipper down in the order for a while. Did you think that he should have dropped him further to the 8th spot? Somehow you blamed McCann’s/Uggla’s/Heywards troubles on Chipper, too. Chipper was about the only thing about this year’s team that was consistent. He gave good at-bats all year. Look at his end-of-yr numbers. Where would this team have been with almost every other 3rd baseman in baseball? Worse off, for sure. Learn the game, dude!
Navigator
October 3rd, 2011
6:43 pm
$14M for a part time player? If I was owner of the Braves, Frank Wren would be looking for his next job.
The Red
October 3rd, 2011
6:44 pm
Has anyone noticed that the only thing the Braves really have a surplus of is 8th hitters?
BartBuzz
October 3rd, 2011
6:49 pm
108th
bvillebaron
October 3rd, 2011
7:07 pm
In response to your post yesterday regarding my comment that it was unnecessary and stupid for Wren to single out Heyward for public crticism that he wasn’t and was only responding to a specific question and that you would post his comments about others today, did you mean his comments in this post about McCann and Prado? Seems to me that he used kid gloves when responding to questions about their lack of performance, but publicly mentions how Heyward isn’t guaranteed a job next year. As I mentioned in my post, it seems to me that there should be very few “guaranteed” jobs next year on this team after this epic collapse.
I never said that Heyward should be coddled and, in fact, stated many times earlier this year that the team should send him back to AAA rather than play him sporadically or, worse yet, do brilliant things like yank him from that Sunday game against the Mets after he hit a homer and two hard balls and then not play him for 3 days.
My only point, which you apparently missed or dislike, is that I don’t think it is either necessary or wise to publicly criticize a 22 year old kid who is one year removed from being the face of the franchise rather than being as publicly dipolomatic about Heyward’s struggles as Wren was when asked specific questions about McCann and Prado.
Columbus
October 3rd, 2011
7:18 pm
Why no questions about Constanza? Heck if he had played instead of Heyward down the strectch I GUARANTEE you the Braves would be playing today….
Young arms playing more innings than they ever had. Pitchers getting hurt. I get that. Without injuries to starting pitching, the Cards nor anyone else had a chance to catch us. What Wren said about the hitting was a wise perspective also.
The hitting sucked early and sucked late. The hitting coach was atrocious. McCann and Prado hurt, especially when Heyward had one of the worst years in history IMO. All those weak ground balls and strikeouts. So when one area is hurting, the other has to pick it up and sadly, the pitching was in no position to pickup the hitting again like it did in the first half due to injuries and tired young arms and a pathetic Lowe.
Perfect storm for a collapse. If Lowe could have pitched a couple of good games OR just Constanza playing just about every day, Braves STILL would be playing however….
Zenman
October 3rd, 2011
7:23 pm
bvillebaron-Excellent comments. Lets all of us strive to provide more of the same.
gcs
October 3rd, 2011
7:32 pm
A bunch of cop-out vague answers. Thumbs down.
.
smyrnabob
October 3rd, 2011
7:33 pm
Frank, use some of the kk and McLouth cash to lure Rudy Jaramillo out of retirement.
Mike Lum
October 3rd, 2011
7:41 pm
Watch out DOB/Carroll/Bradley/Schultz…these geniuses who think Fredi should be fired after one year will probably call for your head, should you write one bad column.
chris
October 3rd, 2011
7:45 pm
NOTHING in this interview gives me any hope for next year….wren and liberty media have never got the memo that you cannot win in MLB with sub par hitting and patch work pitching…we need an overhaul…a big overhaul..get some lumber in here….and dump some high priced salaries…make a fresh start- won’t hurt anything affter this nightmare collapse of 2011. I think the fans would be me apt to forget this year if they see a team on the field we all are confident can HIT the damn ball
Rye Honattus
October 3rd, 2011
7:46 pm
“He put the pieces together, but something just isn’t right.”
Booby Cox Jr.
chris
October 3rd, 2011
7:47 pm
He needs to have already signed BOURN..nothing against Prado and McCann and the others.but let’s clear the books, start over and put a team together like the Phillies,, lots of lumber, and stud pitchers…and dont look back
LJ
October 3rd, 2011
7:49 pm
Some of you “self appointed experts” need to start watching some “keg of beer” softball games.
Mister Frisky
October 3rd, 2011
7:49 pm
Chipper Iis 40 not 30.He needs to PH or be traded to AL.Braves need help 3b,SS,RF,LF,and 2b.Has anyone been watching the playoffs.We are nowhere close offensively to the 8 teams standing.Everyone under contract is up for discussion considering they all had a role in infamy.
Web Masters
October 3rd, 2011
7:51 pm
“As soon as you hear a team concede the division in august when they are down by single digits then you know you are dealing with losers”
I said this back in August, and was roundly criticized by the inbred mouthbreathers who said we were a lock for the WC. I TOLD YOU SO. In a few words, the Braves were trying to be number 2. And, sure enough, they were, and smelled like it.
Bravefaninok
October 3rd, 2011
7:54 pm
Navigator
October 3rd, 2011
6:43 pm
$14M for a part time player? If I was owner of the Braves, Frank Wren would be looking for his next job.
14 million for the face of the franchise,A sure first ballot HOFer who was one of your most productive players even with the knee injuries…..Say what you want Chipper is an Atlanta Brave until he decides to hang them up.BTW Chipper reworked contracts,signed for millions under market value to remain a Brave,This guy could have left anytime he wanted and got close to Aroid money.If he ever wears another team uniform every front office employee should be FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nevada Roy
October 3rd, 2011
8:02 pm
Prado is a better infielder than outfielder. Figure Jones will be good for 80-100 games; Prado 60-80 games @ 3rd + 20 games @ 2nd (rest Uggla) + 20 games @ 1st (sit Freeman against tough lefties).
Trade for another power-hitting corner outfielder. Give up one of the potential 10-starting pitchers to get someone good with more than a 1-year lease.
jwhite
October 3rd, 2011
8:03 pm
ijudgenot is correct in his assessment. We do not know what kind of job Fredi can do until he tries to be Fredi, not Bobby Cox. He tried to be Bobby because that is what Chipper wanted. The clubhouse belonged to Chipper in 2011. I would like to see Fredi say good by to the Cox era and be his own man in 2012.
Ralph
October 3rd, 2011
8:14 pm
All we need to be a winner is RF,CF,LF, 3B, SS, 2B, C, and 4 Starting Pitchers, sure glad we have Freeman and a bullpen.
Big Wally
October 3rd, 2011
8:28 pm
Lowe will be on this team next year, no one else will take his salary. He can however, be of some use in the bullpen. If the Braves are behind by 5 runs or more, then it is Lowe time. Braves, seldom if ever will come back from a 5 run deficit, so it’s not like we are throwing away potential wins. If they get beat by 16 runs instead of 5 it won’t matter. Plus in blow out games, he can save the rest of the bullpen arms, which we know is not part of Fredi-cats strategy.
Zenman
October 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
“Keg of beer softball”. Would it be Leinenkugel? If so I’m in.
Mister Frisky
October 3rd, 2011
8:39 pm
Aaron and Murphy didn’t finish their careers in a Brave uniform.I wouldn’t mind if Chipper joined them.
darrell starks
October 3rd, 2011
8:44 pm
DOB is very disappointing on not asking the Q about constanza, who was the reason the Braves was playing the best ball of the year when in the lineup, and when INJURED was never inserted back into the line up and the braves went on the worse down fall in years 8 wins and 20 losses.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 3rd, 2011
8:48 pm
Let Chipper become the braves player hitter coach and play platoon at third base, and go sign Aramis Ramirez.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 3rd, 2011
8:52 pm
Prado is young and is good enough to play SS, would like to see him loose at least 10pounds so he can be quicker, and give Constanza the left field position and this team will rock and roll.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 3rd, 2011
8:56 pm
2012 BRAVES LINE UP
1. BOURN CF
2. CONSTANZA LF
3. ARAMIS 3B
4. UGGLA 2B
5. FREEMAN 1B
6. PRADO SS
7. MCCANN CATCHER
8. HEYWARD RF
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!
George Washington
October 3rd, 2011
9:04 pm
HIRE FRANCONA NOW!!!!!!!!
Joey Waddell
October 3rd, 2011
9:07 pm
Your questions were weak!
Zenman
October 3rd, 2011
9:09 pm
Prado, at shortstop, oh yea, that would extend a lot of innings.
Buckeye Brave
October 3rd, 2011
9:17 pm
Despite how this season ended I can’t wait until next season. We have three question marks going into next season. They are as follows: SS-do re-sign A-Gon or let Pastornicky take over? RF-can Heyward keep his starting job or does Constanza or a mystery player win it? SP-who wins the 5th spot in the rotation? You have to assume some combination of Hudson, Hanson, JJ, & Beachy in the first four spots. The question of the fifth starter is the least worrisome but the hardest to answer b/c of the great talent. RF is the biggest question by far and will take well into the spring camp to answer. We’ll know before Christmas who the SS will be, and if I were betting man I’d double down on Pastornicky.
ray
October 3rd, 2011
9:24 pm
Wren didn’t answer many questions did he ? he couldn’t explain a lot. he has few answers -as usual.
how long does he get to accomplish anything ?
not bringing back Parrish is only step one.
sounds like Bourne will be gone after next year-like almost all the other free agents to be.
by then, we’ll need a 3B, a CF, maybe a RF, maybe a catcher.
wihtin a few weeks, the collapse will be a distant memory and the team can continue down the road to mediocrity.
Bob the Blogger
October 3rd, 2011
9:28 pm
In September, Constanza hit .174 (4 for 23) with no walks and no extra base hits. He was 0 for 2 in stolen bases, so of the 4 hits he got, he was wiped out twice. Maybe that had somthing to do with his playing time being limited.
Bravos
October 3rd, 2011
9:33 pm
If i dont see bourn and constanza hitting one and two opening day, i quit.
dogman
October 3rd, 2011
9:35 pm
Watching Feliz and Elvis Andrus tonight in the Texas victory still makes me sick to think the braves just gave both of them to Texas along Harrison and got nothing in return except a one year rental. They need a shortstop now and look how good Andrus is. Makes me so mad that any team would make such a stupid trade. The other end of that crazy deal plays 1st base for the Rays who are in the playoffs too. I know JS made this lopsided trade and I hope Wren has more sense that JS had. The braves will have to contend with a much better Marlins team as well as the Nationals in 2012 to go along with the Phillies who seem to find a way to win every game. They like the Yankees have unlimited funds to they can get whoever they want if they have a need. Bourne will be gone after next season and then they will need a CF, 3B, and who knows what else by then. I can’t the braves above a 3rd-4th place finish for the next few years unless they drastically improve. They have so many areas to improve on I don’t see that happening.
McCannFan
October 3rd, 2011
9:35 pm
Those suggesting trading McCann are PINHEADS! Prior to oblique injury he was a top performer out there. However, even as one of his fans I will be the first to say Brian himself along with the team conditioning guys should focus on getting him AT LEAST 15 or more pounds lighter during the off season….no more excuses Brian on the weight.
Caseyatthebat
October 3rd, 2011
9:44 pm
Wren’s answers sound like a man who is shellshocked. He doesn’t know much. I guess it’s more of the same for next year.
TeheranTime
October 3rd, 2011
10:10 pm
Blah, blah, blah. Same thing every winter.
jester
October 3rd, 2011
10:34 pm
Geaux BRaves- theres always next year(or 5 or ten years from now) not alot will be different next year either, FG is not a good fit in ATL. Poor management, poor ownership, old players taking all the $$ that either just plain SUCK or injuries (old broke down Knees) , will keep this team down for years to come. Still hope Cards eliminate the phillies and Tigers the yanks.
JAFO
October 3rd, 2011
11:17 pm
Now transpose the questions in Boston and the events unfolding, draw your own conclusions. A vote of no confidence. Tolerance of mediocrity. The ‘run’ has been over for years, pedigree means nothing in baseball.
Brave Fan
October 3rd, 2011
11:18 pm
There should be a test before you are allowed to get on these blogs to make sure you know baseball past t-ball.
Trade McCann? – Anyone that says that immediately has no credibility.
Sign Bourn? – If we can, go for it. Going to be hard though. He’ll get huge money. Look around the league and see how many leadoff hitters there are that can steal bases and play great D.
Prado? – Good 3B, Good hitter that can handle the bat.
Freeman? – Really good player(D and bat)
Uggla – Good player. Will never hit for much of an average though. D was better than I thought it would be.
Heyward? – Leave him alone and let his talent show.
We need a SS that can play D and put the ball in play more.
We need a right hand hitting LF that can play.
Somehow get Chipper to retire!
Demand that starting pitchers be prepared to go deep into games next year.
Dump Lowe and Linebrink.
Let McClouth, Conrad, SS from Pitt go.
Put Freddi on notice that what happened at the end of this year can’t happen again at any point of the year. We played awful with no energy and it never changed.
Lastly, Wren needs to talk to players and quit his personal PR blitz with the media to deflect blame. Three things I believe led to Heywards struggles.
1. Playing hurt led to less production as so with anyone.
2. Chipper calling him out at such a young age – publicly. He couldn’t do anything but take it. If he spoke up he’d been made out a baby.
3. Lost confidence. Got jerked out of lineup. Too much talent and hustle to get that.
Lastly, when Shurholtz and Bobby were together I felt like they were in charge and the organization was solid. I don’t feel like that right now
Brett
October 3rd, 2011
11:24 pm
Anyone wonder why chipper was pulled out of the 2 hole in the lineup? we were on a tear offensively I believe when he moved there? why was he pulled out of there? we seemed to slump after that move was made..
Brave Fan
October 3rd, 2011
11:27 pm
He should have never been put there. A 2 hitter should be able to bunt, hit and run and take pitches. Chipper doesn’t want to do any of those things day in and day out.
chase
October 3rd, 2011
11:32 pm
Sign JIMMY ROLLINS
Trade LOWE and eat the 9 million but get rid of 6 million and him
Kawakami and McLouth and their combined 12 million come off the books
Linebrink’s 3 million is gone
Sherrill’s 2.5 million are gone
That’s around 24-25 million so
Sign Jimmy Rollins for 3 years 27 million
Extend Michael Bourne
Pick up one REAL middle reliever
Take your other 10-12 million and get a big time RF/LF
Bring Andruw Jones back for a multi-purpose outfielder with right-handed power off the bench to go along with ROSS, HINSKI, CONRAD, CONSTANZA, DIAZ etc on the bench
All problems solved
Brave Fan
October 3rd, 2011
11:43 pm
I’d stay away from Rollins, Reyes and Aramis. All 3 have peaked, stay hurt too much, and will get too much money.
Andruw is way too slow. We have enough guys that swing and miss way too much.
ijudgenot
October 4th, 2011
12:03 am
Rufino Linares
October 3rd, 2011
6:31 pm
“ijudgenot, you don’t know enough about sports to be on here. Chipper is about the best hitter the Braves have.”
Rufino,
You missed my point. I never said Chipper was not a very good hitter, because he is. He is and has been a very gifted athlete. His individual stats will someday put him in the HOF. Individual talent though is different than a team player who inspires others to put team first. I know, Chipper restructured his contract a couple of times in order that the Braves could get a high salaried player and he moved to left field in order to get a power hitting 3rd baseman, and that is commendable. However, we must remember that the players that the Braves were trying to get like Sheffield and the 3rd baseman, were acqured to bat behind Chipper. In other words to provide protection for Chipper, so Chipper’s action was a benefit to him personally. Chipper has been a great individual player, who if meshed with other players who did the dirty work, ii.e. move runners by sf, hit and run or hittting behind hitter or just working the count, could produce championships. The problem is that every player that joins the Braves does what he sees the team leader(Chipper) doing. The Braves will miss his great talent when he retires, but ultimately I think they will be a stronger TEAM.
bravesfaninNashville
October 4th, 2011
12:20 am
Heyward just needs to get back to the approach he took when he first came up.. He was VERY selective at the plate and had great strike zone recognition. It seems that when they asked him to be more aggressive he started to swing at pitches close to the strike zone but not strikes… this led to pitchers seeing how far he’d go.. He has also been way to far off the plate probably out of fear that he’ll get jammed and that has hurt his injured thumb in the past. He needs to go back to what got him here and that is a disciplined approach that mashes pitches that are center cut.
jazzward10
October 4th, 2011
12:50 am
Enter your comments here
jazzward10
October 4th, 2011
1:13 am
I can see the braves trading Prado and getting a better run producer.I would try and resign Jack Wilson for a year to play backup third and short cause i would put Pastornicky at short.Prado is not a very good 3rd baseman.Bourn,Jones,McCann,Heyward,Ugga,Freeman,maybe Gartrell or Wilkin Ramirez,Pastornicky will be my lineup.I think they trade JJ.Hudson,Hanson,Beachy,Minor,Teheran starters.Dont see Teheran playing in AAA another year.Nothing else to prove there.Delgado and Vizcaino will start at AAA.Medlen,Martinez,Varvarro,Kimbrell,Venters,O’Flaherty,and Lowe.Diaz,Hinske,Wilson,Conrad,Ross on bench.Conrad and Hinske will have to also have a better year.They were automatic strikeouts late in the season.Its going to be a lot tougher next year playing the Yankees and Red Sox in interleague.
NickB
October 4th, 2011
4:14 am
I think all of the people calling for Chipper’s head are going to be sorely saddened when there’s nobody left to hit with RISP. Hoss was about the only one we had who did it all season long.
Obee
October 4th, 2011
6:23 am
I think it’s funny that people think the Braves might be able to get someone owed millions of dollars to simply walk out the door and retire. Would you retire for the good of your company if they owed you millions and all you had to do was show up?
MikeY
October 4th, 2011
6:47 am
Statistically, this team hit far worse against LH pitchers (.228, dead last in the NL) than against RH pitchers (.250, 11th in the NL). So I agree with the many posters who state that we need a RH or SH bat or 2 or 3 to improve our hitting. May need a platoon partner for Heyward in RF, he hit .192 against LH pitchers.. I am not sure Diaz is the answer for that role, though he did hit . 296 for us against LH pitchers (albeit with no pop).
Note that Bourn is under our control for 2012 (last year of arbitration), but he is a free agent in 2013. In fact, everyone is either signed or under Braves control except McLouth (Braves will not pick up his option), Kawakami, Sherrill, Linebrink, A Gonzalez, Wilson. Moylen is arbitartion eligible but likely to make around $2.5M, the Braves are unlikely to pay that so may non-tender him but try to sign him to a less expensive contract.
I really hope Patornicky is ready, He made 26 errors in the minors last year. I think he may still be a year away. I still think SS is a big hole for the Braves in 2012.
Donovan
October 4th, 2011
7:41 am
This Braves team does a historical collapse and the Braves GM fields questions like a Democrat politician. No questions are affirmatively answered and nothing is said of a plan to right the wrongs. His personality is a mirror image of this losing club. What an absolute waste of time for such a Q & A meeting. Ho Humm…
TechRon
October 4th, 2011
8:04 am
#1 priority: Dump the idiot manager. #2Lowe does not wear our uniform next year. #3 Trade Heyward while he still has some value (mostly on potential). #4 Keep Freeman, Uggla and all pitchers except Lowe. Everyone else is considered for trade bait. #5 Everyone who did not help at all this year should be cut.
Braves need to show the fans they have left that they are serious or they are going to have a party that no one comes to. Their collapse was an utter disgrace and I am amazed that upper management could have watched it without stepping in. Gonzalez made a long list of critical errors that require his removal. I say the same for upper management that watched it all fall down and did nothing. Idiots.
Cecil34
October 4th, 2011
8:13 am
A more Big-Blue-Arrow view:
The more distance the Braves put between themselves and the 90’s, and we start to see that the success of the 90’s(and very early 2000’s) was a mere blip on the radar screen of the overall lack of success and direction of this franchise since 1966.
The management of this organization, whether it be a consortium under Bill Bartholomay, or later Ted Turner, or even Kasten, McGuirk/Shuerholtz/Liberty Media era, has been lacking in instituting a long-term plan of success that ensures performing at the highest levels of MLB.
I’m talking World Series here, fellas, not division championships, which, quite frankly in the modern, watered down, over-expansioned era of baseball really are cheap playprettys as compared to the big enchilada.
This organization’s failure to capture but one world series amidst all the division crowns (whoopee) to me is a clear indication of substandard performance in the following areas:
On-field management
Major league personnel management
Minor league personnel management
Budget and Financial management
While it is obvious that some of the correct decisions were actually made from time to time and panned out, more correctly it can be asserted that the overall decision-making process has been off the mark and flawed.
This is to say that Atlantan’s can definitively give the Braves organization as a whole a D+ grade at best.
Thus we arrive at the Great Give-away 2011!
It is apparent to me that Atlantans and the Atlanta media should demand change and seek change at the highest levels of this operation or continue to expect much of the same substandard effort of the last 45 years.
What is really sad and in fact an indictment against Atlanta politicians as well as mover and shaker businessmen in this city is that no one individual here or no group or consortium has stepped forward and tried to put together a deal to obtain the Braves.
It just goes to show that when 30 years of Atlanta mayors go out of their way to rid the city of it’s good ol’ boy network to become the “international city” – folks imported in who could care less about baseball, sports, or any Atlanta traditions – then one reaps the air of indifference to anything that means something to native Atlantans.
Thus the abomination of some out of state corporation owning the Atlanta Braves.
Where is Atlanta’s civic pride? Where are the outraged politicians who scream that a outside corporation is burying this proud franchise?
How about all these Atlanta CEO’s and philanthropists?
It did not have to happen this way, but you can certainly gage the city of Atlanta’s interest by the silence on this issue.
This is your new “Atlanta”…..I know what Hartsfield or Allen would have done, but you won’t ever get that with the bunch in power now both in city government and civic leadership.
New is not always better – and “progress” is subjective.
And Wren’s hands will continue to be tied.
Good luck with that!
Chippers new mentor and agent
October 4th, 2011
8:28 am
Hey Folks, Chipper Jones new agent is non other than The famous Brett Favre, the milker.
Hitler's Cousin Hank
October 4th, 2011
8:35 am
DOB, why didn’t you ask him about Derek Lowe and Jason Heyward ? You know, the big busts this year ?
Hitler's Cousin Hank
October 4th, 2011
8:36 am
Also, for the GM to sit there and say its his plan to play Chipper whenever Chipper can play is sad. The Braves need a 3B that can play every day. Chipper is a liabilty.
Hitler's Cousin Hank
October 4th, 2011
8:39 am
The Braves should get a great hitting former MLB hitter to be the hitting coach. my suggestions are Wade Boggs,Tony Gwynn,Dave Winfield,Paul Molitor,Robin Yount. When you hire a sorry former MLB hitter like Parrish you get sorry results…
Kharma
October 4th, 2011
8:58 am
Not a bad season all things considered. Now the pitchers can start the process of atrophying their muscles instead of learning how to train properly EVERY DAY.
Next year will be more of the same.
Since Mr McCann is a hard worker he should be doing the same training as pitchers with slight modifications. I’m not sure what his injuries are but he should stay away from rest and cortisone shots.
Kharma2301@yahoo.com
choozer
October 4th, 2011
8:59 am
It’s hard for me to pin it on the pitching because we had 17 games in September when we gave up four runs or less. So that doesn’t indicate to me that the pitching was a problem.
This!
poolcue
October 4th, 2011
9:02 am
2012, another failing year. the braves are in the same shape the usa is in. it is called lack of leadership.fredi has to go.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
9:09 am
REALLY dissappointed at a lot of the comments on here. Several of you seem to have some really strange ideas about how defense should be shifted around and a first ballot hall of famer who has played his entire career year in ATLANTA! should pack it in or go somewhere else. Boo! Hiss!
Yes, the upper management really let us down this year. Yes, several players either didn’t play up to potential or had poor offensive years or suffered a major injury. Last time I checked, that happens to EVERY team from time to time, not just our good ol’ Braves.
Going into next season, if we’re stuck with Frank Wren and Fredi Gonzalez (and I have a sinking feeling we will), then there are a few things they can do that will hopefully (certainly no guarantees here) have a positive impact on the club.
1. find some way of dumping Derek Lowe, it will cost us some on payroll, but there is no place for him, either in the rotation or the bullpen, so getting anything for him from a lower-tier club at all is worth considering if a suitor can be found.
2. move Martin Prado back to 2B and restore his confidence and stabilize what will almost certainly be a shaky infield defense (let’s face it, Dan Uggla is lousy at 2B, he may not commit an eye-popping # of errors, but his range is horrendous).
3. move Dan Uggla to LF. if he can play at 2B at all which seems to be an idea he’s managed to keep up for several years now, he should make a perfectly serviceable LF (anybody remember Ron Gant?). besides, nobody seems to care what Uggla’s average stays at, so why should a defensive move have a negative impact on him that anyone would apparently notice?
4. get rid of McClouth (think they’ve already said they were going to), Conrad, Lugo, Alex Gonzalez, Scott Linebrink, George Sherrill, Peter Moylan, and any other dead weight that could hopefully clear up enough payroll to sign a SERIOUS veteran arm for the bullpen.
5. tell Jason Heyward that he is our guy in RF and go out there and show us something, we’re behind him 100 per cent and expect and want the best for him!
6. make it very clear to Chipper Jones that the fans of Atlanta want him out there if he has to be helped out there in a wheelchair! (to all of you crying for his trade or retirement, shame, shame, shame!)
John A.
October 4th, 2011
9:10 am
Why were questions asked from “select writers” instead of sports writers as a whole? These questions that were asked were of the “powder puff variety, don’t you think?
Heathcliff Slocum
October 4th, 2011
9:25 am
Interesting piece. The one assumption many made when Bourn was acquired was that the biggest beneficiary would be Martin Prado – a deadly fastball hitter who would see even more fastballs with Bourn on base. Didn’t work out for whatever reason – perhaps the injury. The one move that would interesting if the Braves want to win it all next year would be to make a run at Reyes. With the salaries we’re dumping, he would be affordable. Keeping him healthy is another matter.
DogTheMan
October 4th, 2011
9:40 am
I wonder who will be the reclaimation project this year. Wren and Gonzales will tell us that they are the missing peice and then the project will be gone before the All-Star Break.. They make me sick..
George T.
October 4th, 2011
10:02 am
Prado’s career year seems to be behind him. Braves need more firepoower. However, none of this will help without a culture change in the clubhouse. Fredi needs to move on.
Mitchell
October 4th, 2011
10:19 am
FU Frank.
Maybe we should do these heart to heart talks like each month from now so we don’t end up making a bunch of pathetic excuses after pulling off the biggest choke job since 1996.
Great work all around by Frank, DOB, Bradley, Schultz and the rest of local sports media that refuses to hold people’s feet to the fire.
No offense to Carroll. You get a pass CR. You’re not a total suck up homer like the rest of them.
You just do what you do and don’t act like a cry baby like DOB.
ijudgenot
October 4th, 2011
11:09 am
One of the more bizarre moves by the Braves was the package of additions they added to the roster after September 1. Now mind you, these additions are players that can’t be placed on a playoff roster, should you make it there, so whoever is called up can’t replace a player who is already there. They traditionally are players added who can help you down the stretch drive and allow you to rest some of your starters. Everyone in baseball knew the Braves had a lefthanded dominant lineup and had trouble hitting lefthanded pitching all year. Now the most logical call ups would have been their righthanded power hitters at AAA or AA. At AAA it was Gomez(1st baseman) and Gartrell(outfielder) and at AA it was the 1st baseman whose name I can’t recall, who had a great year in average and homeruns. But the Braves called up none of those. Instead they called up a weak hitting catcher from AAA and a weak hitting shortstop from AA. The Bobby Cox stupidity of caring 3 catchers into playoffs explains Boscan, but Richardson from AA makes no sense. Can anyone tell me if there is a limit on how many players can be called up after Sept. 1?
bill
October 4th, 2011
11:09 am
Jordan Schaefer does not look like candidate for the Braves. Unless he uses coke and play the outfield like Otis Nixon.
Ernest
October 4th, 2011
11:17 am
Just read that ‘blog favorite’ Jordan Schaefer was arrested for drug possession. While I sincerely hope he can rid himself of the demons that seem to hold him back, I still agree that moving him was in the best interest of the team. I only hope the Braves were not aware he was still having problems when they traded him.
benchwarmer
October 4th, 2011
11:20 am
Polskidawg, when did you ever see Chipper dive for a ball at third. If it happened it was a long time ago. Also, Chipper can barely run at all. He is not going to any outfield position.
Packer Ed
October 4th, 2011
11:25 am
Frank Wren has a resume with Brave accomplishments (what are they?) on his resume.
Frank Wren in nothing but a clown and Frank Wren is lucky that he hides under layers of incompetent mangement and owners.
Folks, the Braves are nothing more than a tax deduction or a write off for the current owners.
Frank Wren
October 4th, 2011
11:30 am
I love to sign .220/.230/.240 hitters.
Braves Hitters
October 4th, 2011
11:33 am
Now that Jordan is in jail, who is going to supply us with weed?
b
October 4th, 2011
11:38 am
Again, why no questions on Georgie being out of lineup all of Sept.
What do we have to do to get response?
He did not slump.
Never started two games in a row after he went hitless two games a row in late Aug.
rme
October 4th, 2011
11:43 am
You can not fault upper management for not making the playoffs. They put an excellent team on the field. I have always said you are only as good as your backups. The Braves had excellent rookies coming in and taking over while our first string was hurt. All the rookie pitchers we used need to stay in their roll and become first stringers. They held their own and did an awesome job. Derek Lowe, Linebrink need to go. During the off season it would be nice to have management look at the club and make decisions on who we need to run away with our division. Not just hang in there but go for it all! Resign Bourne, Heyward out, Constanza in…speed with Bourne. A new dimention. Make things happen on the basepaths. Challenge the throws, etc. McCann is OK. Chipper will reurn and give us the strength and leadership as always. Uggly and Alex…I know a lot of fans are saying trade away Alex but what a double play combination. He is magical at SS and saved a lot of runs and games. Freeman…wow…what can I say about a rookie coming in and taking charge at forst when we have not had anyone of high calibre in that position for years. The talent is there, now the big question is can Gonzales manage the team to get the wins we need. I’m tires of waiting 162 games to see if we make the playoffs. It is time to bust out and leave the division behind us. Of course someone has to move Philadelphia to the Japanese league!!!!! Looking forward to next year. Sign Bourne for 3 years!
Tucson AZ
October 4th, 2011
11:43 am
The Braves need to get their starters conditioned so they can pitch at least 7 innings,there is no reason they can’t other teams do it no problem.The team also has to play as a team not as 9 individuals.It is to bad we have to put up with FG for another year,big mistake.At least we got rid of LP.
b
October 4th, 2011
11:43 am
bobtheblogger, those stats for Constanza were almost exclusively in pinchhitting roles.
You can go on any player and get a 4-24 stat.
the point is the team played a LOT better with him in the lineup.
bobby cerasuolo
October 4th, 2011
12:11 pm
First all the things Mr Wren should do is tell Chipper that hes better off using him as a Hitting coach bc i bet he can do a better then Parrish. Move Prado to 3rd, then trade Medlen Lowe and Antoan Richardson to the White Sox for Quentin and Lasting Milledge. Then trade Hanson Diory Hernandez and Matt Young to Fla for Emilio Bonifacio and Brad Hand. Now use Bonifacio at SS put Quentin in RF and put Heyward in LF and put Prado at SS and sign Jack Wilson and We Helm as ulity guys.
phil
October 4th, 2011
12:51 pm
Selected members of the media….
I love that phrase….
In other words, I don’t want to be asked questions I didn’t approve in advance. Maybe I’m wrong about that, but it always looks suspicious. Besides, we already know most of the answers.
Fire FG or be prepared for another disappointing season in 2012.
phil
October 4th, 2011
12:54 pm
Ernest
October 4th, 2011
11:17 am
Just read that ‘blog favorite’ Jordan Schaefer was arrested for drug possession. While I sincerely hope he can rid himself of the demons that seem to hold him back, I still agree that moving him was in the best interest of the team. I only hope the Braves were not aware he was still having problems when they traded him.
****************
The guy had an arm covered with tatoos….what a surprise and good riddance.
bravesfaninNashville
October 4th, 2011
12:58 pm
anyone on this blog that suggests that Martin Prado should be our shortstop has lost all credibility in my eyes. He is not a major league SS. Please stop with those suggestions already. We have two second basemen and need to trade one of them (Prado) or live with one of them (Prado) being out of position. He’s had a tough year with the staph infection. Next year we’ll see the real Martin the one who hit line drives all over the field in 2010 or the one who couldn’t even advance runners from second base in 2011. Hopefully we’ll see the 2010 version.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
12:59 pm
we seem to be traveling downhill here, why in God’s name would anybody move the personnel we have currently around to a point where Prado has to play SS? that’s insane, I don’t care what your reasoning is.
phil
October 4th, 2011
12:59 pm
Mike Lum
October 3rd, 2011
7:41 pm
Watch out DOB/Carroll/Bradley/Schultz…these geniuses who think Fredi should be fired after one year will probably call for your head, should you write one bad column.
*********************
You were a horrible player yourself, Lum….
When a manager presides over a historic collapse, he should be fired. Then and there.
Until FG is gone, you won’t see me and my family at another game. I’ve urged it before and I’ll urge it again….stay away until FG is gone.
phil
October 4th, 2011
1:01 pm
Prado is a utility player…period. Bench the bum and get a left fielder with some pop and a glove. He can back up Chipper.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
1:08 pm
I disagree, two years in a row prior to this one, Prado was one of if not our best offensive player, I say the bannishment to LF affected him even before the infection/injury, and especially so given Uggla’s first half performance. Prado is a good, solid every-day MLB 2B. He will hit for average again and play better defense than the current guy there. Stick Uggla out in LF a la Ron Gant and move on from there. If Pastornicky struggles at SS, Brandon Hicks and Jack Wilson are there for insurance.
phil
October 4th, 2011
1:12 pm
Please never type the words “Jack Wilson” again. That guy was the kiss of death from the day he showed up.
Fire FG….
I could live with Uggly out in LF and Prado back at 2B….
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
1:13 pm
oh and benchwarmer, you obviously didn’t watch many games this year if you didn’t see Chipper diving for the ball
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
1:14 pm
Jack Wilson just never got going, give him a full year in Atlanta before passing judgement on the guy, he’s got a great glove and a good approach at the plate, all things needed in a solid backup
phil
October 4th, 2011
1:25 pm
No one on the team got going when it mattered most. Same song and dance every year, just certain different singers and dancers….
Fire FG…
Liberty Media
October 4th, 2011
1:49 pm
We appreciate all of your suggestion box items, and want to thank you for all of your continued support of the product. Our R&D dept is working on virtualizing the Braves, so that each of you can plug & play line ups, demotions, in-game decisions, including post game and post season-didn’t make the post season interviews — complete w/ cap tipping,, and much, much more — so that you the fans we have left end up having the most enriched HD user experience imaginable.
Braves Fan Since 1966
October 4th, 2011
1:50 pm
Let it not be said that the Cardinals backed into the playoffs. They charged into the playoffs throgh the door that the Braves opened for them and then hung a sign saying “Come on in”.
Braves Fan in N.Y.
October 4th, 2011
1:54 pm
buckhead benny is right.
The Braves went south when Costanza was shown the bench.
Damon Dingle Barryhill
October 4th, 2011
2:14 pm
Quit saying “Don Baylor for hitting coach!” on every blog. He is currently employed as the hitting coach for Arizona, which apparently is a pretty good gig. Now pipe down! Let’s get some pop in the outfield (on both corners) and move Part Time Prado back to the middle infield, where he belongs.
Just get the best available hitter, regardless of their OF position
Vedder
October 4th, 2011
2:23 pm
So, if Jorge Constanza had not been benched,,the hitters behind him would have all of a sudden stopped leaving RISP…not likely. As a pure baseball fan, I am actually happy too see the Cards giving Philly all they can handle and being led by guy who does just that ..leads. StL fans were giving TLR a ton of abuse prior to their Sept torrent and wanted to run him out on a rail b/c baseball is the ultimate game of second guessing when things don’t go right ,, but at least they have a leader ,,much like the Rays w/ Maddon. All of these people- many of the AJC writers, who said that Fredi needs to change his approach and become a motivator are fooling themselves if you think someone just flips a switch and becomes a leader or motivator. They might as well hire Tony Robbins to be his bench coach. And on the beloved 1st ballot bowhunter ,, he is part of the problem when it comes to this leadership problem. I think it was clear he and his big mouth caused more harm than good. Being critical of Heyward for not playing hurt…critical between the lines at batting 2nd, so was not supportive of his manager no matter how big a dolt he is….blaming the pitching staff ,,, what a effin’ joke … and these are just the things we heard about. What all did this redneck say behind the scenes to people and that got back to the people he was criticizing?
DawgDad
October 4th, 2011
2:36 pm
So many things went so terribly wrong in September it’s hard to sort through the ashes and see what if anything is salvagable. When your team leaders are a 39-year old third baseman, a catcher with failing eyesight and a bad back, and a Rule 5 reclamation project turned millionaire, well, you should expect to have some issues. One thing is clear: the Braves need to stay committed to the youth-movement, and in doing so they should expect to take some lumps.
Players who don’t fit in the future and ideally would not be here next year: All the Boras clients (would like to keep Bourn but see no way that will happen). AGon(e). Chipper. And, I’m really afraid Uggla is the next KK/Lowe contract albatross (listen to the baseball chatter this winter – you won’t hear anyone except a Braves employee talk about Uggla as one of the top MLB or NL second basemen).
Keep in mind, until they prove otherwise the Braves are now the WORST team in the Division. Wren has wasted three years of playoff-caliber pitching largely because he could not find a legitimate Major League left fielder, and I suspect the window of opportunity is now closed until the next wave of starters grows up and the current crop of free-swinging position players moves on.
jim
October 4th, 2011
2:38 pm
For all those criticizing Wren for the Chipper and Lowe contracts, consider the dilemma for Cashman. CC is getting 23 million/year and about to opt out for more. With a physique that makes Mac look like he just did a Weight Watchers ad, the Yankees have the choice of letting go the only guy in their rotation that can be called an ace (Novoa has to do it for a longer time before he gets that designation) or pay two guys on the other side of the career hill 25-31 million dollars a year until after the Rio Olympics. He also has “the core” Jeter, Posada, and Rivera in the same boat as Chipper but more money owed to Jeter.
jim
October 4th, 2011
2:54 pm
I am one of those “idiots” that an earlier blogger mentioned who is calling for the Braves to trade McCann.
It is not that McCann is not a good player — he is, But he has more value now than he will have later, he has weight issues, is a mediocre defender, might have eyesight issues, and can bring in some good young talent. I would rather see the best hitter on the team be an OF or 3B/1B that can play 155 games a year rather than a catcher who plays 120 and tires at the end of the season.
Pradois another “nice” player who now does not have a role on this team and is in the last years of arbitration where his contract is going to become too expensive. . He should also be moved this off season. I agree with the first post at the top of this page, that Uggla is not the straw that should be stirring this drink, and would love to see him moved if possible to rid the team of a big contract in the future. Heyward had a bad year at 22, but the chorous on here that wants to dump him or bench him for Constanza are showing either their frustration or their short-sightedness. He will be an important contributor for this team in the future. Maybe now with the expectations lowered and not having to be the next McGriff/McCovey, and with time to recover from his shoulder injury and regain his stroke, he will approach the player he was projected to be.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
2:55 pm
sick and tired of all the Chipper haters, he may not be the best clubhouse leader in baseball but I guarantee you everything he says is calculated, not redneck snap responses as some other idiots on here would have you believe. he is a hall of famer and as such deserves a little more respect than he’s getting, especially when considering that he MAY have been our most consistent hitter once again this year. He has certainly lost a step or two, but still plays solid defense and most days is a very tough out and rbi guy. he didn’t come through for us on a regular enough basis in late september just now, but that was symptomatic of what was going on with the TEAM, not him.
why are we even worrying about Chipper’s role on the team next year anyway? There are FAR more glaring areas for concern than how much time Chipper plays!
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
2:57 pm
completely forgot to mention how sad it was that Chipper had to handle as much as he did this past year because about 75 per cent of that SHOULD have been handled by our sorry A S S manager!
Laughing Jack (OUT LOUD)
October 4th, 2011
2:58 pm
AJC writers and bloggers holding Frank Wren accountable??? Bloggers holding players accountable??? Is that what you guys are doing???? YOU MAKE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD!
At best, we offer only our opinions. For the most part they are stupid, ignorant opinions….LOL!
As fans, we don’t even speak for nor represent all the fans, just ourselves. LOL “holding them accountable.” WOW!
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
3:10 pm
stupid ignorant?
phil
October 4th, 2011
3:15 pm
Agree about the Chipper bashers….
You boneheads that rail on him are possibly dumber than FG was in continuing to pitch Lowe every 5 days…
If we didn’t have Chipper, we would have been finished two weeks earlier than we were.
And…
you bonehead Chipper bashers are right up there in the Schaefer intelligence department too…in other words, not much.
phil
October 4th, 2011
3:16 pm
Fire FG!!
NickB
October 4th, 2011
3:37 pm
LOL, the Constanza junky’s are amusing… He can’t hit… He got figured out and was hitting like a career AAA player. Heyward began to hit and was hitting with an OPS of .837 over the last 2 weeks of the season, so why play Constanza?
After the initial 14 games where Constanza was hitting .,400+ with good OPS the following 28 games he played (including 14 more starts) he hit .211 with a .211 OBP and a .285 SLG for a mammoth .496 OPS. He was pretty much terrible after that first couple of weeks.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
3:38 pm
I don’t really understand why so many keep bringing up those comments he made about Heyward not playing hurt. All Chipper said was somebody needed to point out to him that Jason Heyward is a better athlete at 80 per cent than most guys are at 100 per cent. How is that a bad comment given the circumstances? If you’ll look at Chippers career numbers, you’ll find that the guy played NINE years in Atlanta hardly missing a day before his injury woes started. I think he can get away with telling somebody MUCH YOUNGER than him to play hurt even if he misses time these days with injuries. If you read between the lines there, Chipper is saying that at 22 a guy plays ball with a “sore” shoulder. The same might not be said about somebody who’s about to turn 40, but anybody critical enough to make that distinction isn’t a realistic sports fan, period.
NickB
October 4th, 2011
3:46 pm
Oh and to the person who suggested we trade McCann…. let us discuss something called player value.
McCann has loads of value because he’s a catcher that can hit. regardless of whether or not he’s the teams best hitter is unimportant. If we trade him, whomever we get in there is going to likely hit for #$%^ resulting in more losses. It’s easier to find a LF’er who can hit .260 with 25 HR’s and a.800 OPS than it is to find a catcher that can do (or exceed) that. So regardless of potential trade value. To trade a catcher with power for either an outfielder with power (or the parts to acquire one) would be a horrible waste of resources.
IMO, they should move Prado back to the super utility role and trade one of our arms for an under control mashing LF’er with good OBP skills. Prado would still probably play in 100 games as he can spell every position. It would also mean that our bench would go back to being a strength again .
Unless Pastornicky is ready, i think we should all get comfortable with the idea that Jack Wilson or Gonzo is gonna start at SS. The other options are too pricey (and overvalued IMO due to persistent injury probs). I actually like Wilson a bit more due to his better contact skills and equally fine defense….
cristianlobo
October 4th, 2011
3:49 pm
Fredi Gonazlez is not a leader, otherwise we would not have seen Chipper take it upon himself to host a come to Jesus meeting in the dugout before the final game of the epic slide.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
3:50 pm
agreed about Wilson over Gonzalez. Prado should start every day at 2B and Uggla should play LF as long as we’re stuck with him, Prado has a better year playing 2B every day, I’d wager a large sum of money on it…
neil marlowe
October 4th, 2011
3:54 pm
The braves need help. we can’t keep sending Lowe to the mound. his record
indicates his ineptitude. The big mystery is heyward(?). based on his major
league performance to date,, he is a bust. I don’t know what to do about him except
hope for the best. we could use a .300 hitter, and the pitching staff has to come
back healthy in the spring. all things considered, this is not a very exciting team-
in fact it is one of the least interesting brave’s teams in years. I’ve been following
baseball sinde 1946, this braves team is right up there with respect to uninteresting.
Furman Bitcher
October 4th, 2011
4:01 pm
Jordan Schaffer busted for pot in Florida. He is done in baseball.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
4:01 pm
unfortunately I have to agree with Mr. Marlowe, unless quite a bit is changed by next season, I just don’t see a lot to pull for and get behind with this team of Braves, had trouble with that all year and really question how much time I’ll give them next year…
Zenman
October 4th, 2011
4:10 pm
Some of you remind me of the morons on the Audi ads.
nashvillewill
October 4th, 2011
4:13 pm
Wren and FG (sorry to say, he will be back) ought to rethink what to do with Prado. He is serviceable as a backup in many positions and for Chipper, as an everyday player, not so much. W and FG should seek one or two OFers with pop and good situational hitters, like Pence has proven for Phils. Dump Lowe and seek another veteran pitcher, rely on bullpen. Or, dump Lowe and rely on starter from youth squad. As long as Lowe is gone. Figure out a better way to use Ross or trade him. And release, trade, or just say byebye to bench-Conrad, Hinske, Wilson, all were terrible all year. Oh, and upgrade at SS, please. I cannot bear to watch Alex “hit” another season.
Bill M.
October 4th, 2011
4:33 pm
bobby cerasuolo— How can you trade someone that’s not with the Braves. The Braves released Matt Young.
Phils fan
October 4th, 2011
4:34 pm
..don’t waste your energy rooting against the phillies today. cards going down in game 3. phillies in 4
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
6:12 pm
nashevillewill: all that would be great if it were possible to just throw Yankees money out on the market, but right now with our current ownership, our salary cap sits at the mid-range for clubs these days, so the ability to just go out and get somebody isn’t like it was with Ted Turner. IF we manage to dump Lowe this off-season, we’ll still be responsible for a TON of his salary. Basically everybody that will be gone this off-season (and that’s an assumption about some) won’t take enough money off the payroll to pay for an established power-hitting outfielder, which means a trade, which means pitching talent diminished, which means Frank Wren probably won’t do it. Several people have suggested trading JJ, but who would want him for anything of value to us at the moment? He’s an injury liability right now to us and everybody else. Try to keep it real man.
Zenman
October 4th, 2011
6:19 pm
You Silly fans count for most of the morons.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
6:27 pm
sticks and stones dude, sticks and stones
Zenman
October 4th, 2011
6:41 pm
I have been a Braves fan since 1953. I lived in the Filthadelphia area most of my life. Most of the town is dirty and smells bad. The same can be said for many of the sports fans. Yor Beagles are looking good though.
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
6:43 pm
oh you’re referring to the Philly fan, I gotcha, my bad
j l roberts
October 4th, 2011
7:17 pm
get rid of the likes of lowe,and a good hitting coach, worst september in the life of the braves, a lot of people on the team needs to go including jones hes washed up, bench warmer at best and sign up a real 3d baseman soon, and a good outfielder as well and a new bench, get rid of any on over 34 years of age and start hitting and pitching the way you need to.. maybe wren should go also as he didnt help get a long term solution for 3d base out field area jl roberts
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
7:32 pm
a
Phils fan
October 4th, 2011
7:40 pm
…good game so far
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
7:40 pm
HE visto muchos d ustedes pero consideren una alternativa los rangers estan en busca d un veterano posibilidad traspaso d lowe y linebranic los rengers tambien estuvieron con la presion d mickeal young quier traspaso puede jugar SS por este a|~o y si chiper c ba pasaria a 3b.en ese cambio m qedaria con prado en la banca y alex.le daria esto una temporada d preparasion a pastornicki
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
7:49 pm
otra posibilidad d cambio los witesox anunsiaron posibilidad d cambio jj x carlos queitin atlanta le hase falta otro lansador lf por la problematica d los filis en los juegos interligas jason vargas seria un arma mortal los domina
Phils fan
October 4th, 2011
7:54 pm
..uh oh
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
7:55 pm
otro punto buscar en el mundo del beisball seria mente un entrenador d bateo donbailor lo han mensionado pero parese estar arizona y el estubo en atlanta y lo dejaron ir en la era de andres galarraga VEREMOS a VER si wren aprendio a buscar locorecto
Phils fan
October 4th, 2011
8:02 pm
.. los double play!
bravesfansince80s
October 4th, 2011
8:03 pm
jl roberts: this is becoming redundant, but we don’t live in magicland where we can just go buy any player we want man, we have to ride out some big, terrible contracts ,and then, and only then, will we have payroll space for your “wish list”!
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
8:06 pm
si wren es listo pudiera tener 2012 esta alineasion bourn,maickelyoung ,chiper ,uggla freman queitin macanan jh.
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
8:12 pm
la rotasion 2012 hudson minor beschi jason vargas randal delgado y el bullpen tejeran medlen venters flanery kimbrel viscaino y varvarro
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
8:19 pm
jgadores 2012 en la banca alex ,prado constansa hinscki dias conrad
alexcox
October 4th, 2011
8:23 pm
a tdos los fans pedirle a wrenCLUS para diciembre y les digo el 2012 sera WOLRD CHAMPION
Phils fan
October 4th, 2011
8:27 pm
..phillies win! great game
phredd
October 4th, 2011
9:27 pm
sign Bourn! as a side note, Chipper was way better than I expected this year. #10 is still a large part of our team.
phredd
October 4th, 2011
9:29 pm
Phillies fans have no life, why would you post here after our season has ended? it’s desperate for no good reason. GO AWAY!
Cort
October 4th, 2011
9:35 pm
Ugh, a 3rd baseman hauling in 10+ million who can’t play everyday, and the Braves have to watch him like a baby so he doesn’t get hurt. Thanks Chipper for eating up the payroll. The Braves basically have to plan platoons for LF and 3rd until he retires. And yes, before the flaming starts, I know CJ is a HOF, but honestly, his salary is limiting the Braves ability to make some decent moves. We all know it but the CJ homers want to dwell on the past and not the future.
Frank Shab PA
October 5th, 2011
8:04 am
CLUTCH HITTERS! That’s what the Braves need. You have to look long and hard after Septmeber to find any clutch hits delivered by Bravs hitters. When the pressure starts in September they choked big time.
Wren has to agree with that. But corporate wants the team to have a certain image and dog eat dog, hustle, get dirty, win at all costs style are not the Brave way.
Unless they change their mentality the Braves will always be Pretenders!
RIGHT FRANK?
Phils fan
October 5th, 2011
9:32 am
oh philly has life. did you see that game?? of course it does. philly does smell bad. but not as bad as the 2011 braves…. sniff it b***ches!
Phils fan
October 5th, 2011
9:35 am
the eagles stink real bad. but how ’bout those fail-cons??
Phils fan
October 5th, 2011
9:37 am
you’re right phredd. although i did pick the braves to win it all before the season. i’ll go away…..
Jefferson
October 5th, 2011
11:19 am
Who would be a good fit for atlanta in the OF?
Seems not to many free agent options from the RH side.
Outfielders
Bobby Abreu LAA *
Carlos Beltran SF
Milton Bradley SEA
Mike Cameron BOS
Ronny Cedeno PIT
Ryan Church PIT
Jack Cust OAK
Matt Diaz ATL
J.D. Drew BOS
Jonny Gomes CIN
Gabe Gross OAK
Carlos Guillen DET
Corey Hart MIL
Jeremy Hermida BOS
Raul Ibanez PHI
Conor Jackson BOS
Ryan Ludwick STL
Gary Matthews Jr. NYM
Nate McLouth ATL *
Juan Pierre CWS
Juan Rivera LAD
Cody Ross FLA
Grady Sizemore CLE *
Nick Swisher NYY *
Josh Willingham OAK
Willingham has already been in the NL EAST and didnt do all that well
Swisher seems interesting but he is hiiting them out @ Yankee stadium so not much to talk about with Power until he does that in Atlanta
Ryan Ludwick, Corey Hart, Jonny Gomes seems to be some decent bats, Gomes tons of power but no average, hart very good/decent all around, Ludwick – average, nothing exciting.
List from: http://www.chickenfriedbaseball.com/p/mlb-free-agents-2011-2012.html
Dwayne
October 5th, 2011
11:35 am
Fredi gotta go, that is the only thing on my wish list.
Go Phillies!!!!!
william in pasadena
October 5th, 2011
3:35 pm
DOB, interesting comment about Wren sitting down with a few “selected” media writers. Why do you think they were selected? Could it be “soft” media writers? Why did Wren make excuses about other players not being the same after injuries, but he bags on Heyward not having a guaranteed position next year. Take Wren and Fredi’s performances this year and the past years, I wish we had an owner to tell them they son’t have guaranteed jobs next year. I keep hearing about the great Chipper. Great players perform and carry their teams on their backs, not spend all their time giving advice. Don’t tell the younger players, show them. Nobody cares what he did ten years ago. The Braves are not going to win anything until they get players who have passion. And it starts with management. Stop looking for All-American goodie goodie white boys and pick some winners. Question…how do you rednecks know Heyward was at bars til 5am unless you were there yourself? If we got rid of Wren, Fredi, Lowe, Chipper, Prado, and Gonzo, that would be bold moves we needed to make. The Braves lack fire. How many fights or knock-down pithes have you seen from this team? Every season is now ending with a loss. The last game, only Bourne and Hudson played with a sense of urgency. Even the “great” Chipper was just laid back waiting for something to happen instead of making something happen. Oh, I know. He “almost” had a game-winning hit. His $13 mil could help bring in a good right-handed hitter who has fire.
REALLY?
October 5th, 2011
6:59 pm
How cute. Soft little safe questions and soft answers. The reporting from AJC is like a middle school newspaper. Let the fans ask Wren what we really all want to know.
REALLY?
October 5th, 2011
7:00 pm
Forgot…. Hire Francona and fire fat Fredi.
David O'Brien
October 5th, 2011
8:09 pm
DOB, interesting comment about Wren sitting down with a few “selected” media writers. Why do you think they were selected? Could it be “soft” media writers? — william in pasadena
Actually, it was the beat writers who cover the team on a daily basis. Or “soft” media members, if you prefer.
Sorry, didn’t get to the rest of your long rant. Figured it was along the same lines as the first three sentences.
reason
October 5th, 2011
10:32 pm
I like Julio Franco as hitting coach.
Why play a player who is hurt and won’t preformed his best, and is made to play in an important game, this doesn’t make a bit of sense, more like stupid.
Whether it’s the GM or the Managers decision, shows they don’t care about winning.
During the season, Chipper, McCann, Heyward, Prado, the cast from general hospital, all played hurt doesn’t this club have a back up plan, that’s better than what they put on the field..
Do Baseball Announcers have to talk so much, and make so may excuses for the players or tell me what they’re thinking, when they have no idea.
Ross, is a better catcher than McCann will ever be, and should have play more.
Braves need to get rid the dead weight, and get players that aren’t made out of s—.
I think the Atlanta fans, and all of Braves fans all over, back the Braves this season– 100%.
What did the Braves do?
*surrounded before it was over,
*blow the games that they need,
*played, afraid of the other teams,
*played like defeatist, lazy and ineffectual
That my feel for the 2011 Atlanta, Braves maybe they can improve in 2012 and then, we’ll can also seen the first visitors from Mars in 2012.
nique
October 6th, 2011
12:47 pm
Nice interview!
Jay
October 6th, 2011
5:25 pm
I hope sophomore slumps don’t apply to managers. This guy can’t afford to get any worse.
Dub366
October 7th, 2011
8:32 am
that what wrong with the braves and there fans now always want to blame the BLACK man for there down fall. i said it
Gordon
October 10th, 2011
6:02 pm
Dub366 will you tell us more. I really think you are onto something.
Gordon
October 10th, 2011
6:08 pm
William in pasadena I think you are closer to the real problem ma brother. You articulate it so well. You go right to the problem and nailed it.
Brock Klouda
February 19th, 2012
12:17 pm
Our Government is operating so far outside of its design parameters that this type of discussion becomes futile. In my opinion the place to start is eliminating income tax which would force massive reductions in power and programs, bringing the govt. more in line with the founders structure. Only then can a discussion vis-a-vis federal and state govts. become worthwhile.
Jaime Brengettey
February 19th, 2012
3:03 pm
Our Government is operating so far outside of its design parameters that this type of discussion becomes futile. In my opinion the place to start is reducing tax which would force massive reductions in power and programs, bringing the govt. more in line with the founders structure. Only then can a discussion vis-a-vis federal and state govts. become worthwhile.
Billigflug Berlin Frankfurt-hahn
March 27th, 2012
11:34 am
Division Male,soldier recognition team award either game largely century account look shut village count college notion blue comparison tonight value pocket sound ensure unfortunately treaty deputy copy them problem maybe benefit strike very again article speed conclusion representative victim thought oil end civil up document prefer next my matter fresh modern evening step contribution pupil plate current average best contact labour reality forward murder strike language blue bring single representation head servant exist whether system scheme across go represent domestic style where link total health shoulder address help impose request me past weather