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
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
397 comments Add your comment
Done
October 6th, 2011
1:37 pm
Should never have traded Escobar.
Larry30
October 6th, 2011
1:48 pm
That buttoned down, measured tone is at the root of the problem with this organization and schuerholz is the architect of that mentality. Give me somebody with some passion in this organization and things will start to turnaround. The so called team leader reflects the same level of passion or lack thereof. When schuerholz, wren, and chipper are gone maybe some people with true zeal for the game will show up and change the culture of the organization. Until then……..
NickB
October 6th, 2011
1:49 pm
Looks like the know nothing ” fans” are out today…… Here’s a hint guys, understand the game first, THEN maybe your complaints will have some merit. But when you bring up batting avg (pretty much worthless offensive stat or RBI’s definitely a worthless offensive stat) and then blame FW for everything where if JS was here still as GM, we would have traded half of our young pitching away for ANOTHER Texiera type debacle by now…. The FACT of the matter is that the team has dropped from a top 5 to a middle of the pack team in payroll due to lousy ownership. I think that FW has done a good job considering that relative to the mean the team’s payroll has essentially dropped every year. They don’t have any horrible 7 yr $100+ mill contracts to deal with. They havn’t traded the farm away for any “superstars” IMO, if they would just make Prado the utility man again and make a move for a mashing LF’er this team would be fine. Yes even IF they had to bring Gonzo back for one more year at SS til Pastornicky is ready….
NickB
October 6th, 2011
1:50 pm
Well and get a mgr who looks like he knows what he’s doing.
Frank Wren
October 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
Spending $30 million this season for Derek Lowe, Kinchen Kawakami & Nate McLouth, in addition to another $14 million for Dan Uggla’s .232 average and meaningless solo homeruns, would be
grounds for termination in places like Boston, New York or Philly, where fans demand more from their sports teams.
Thankfully, I’m in Atlanta where fans are forgiving and complacent with mediocre baseball, as long as they have memories of the 14 consecutive divisional championships.
Hopefully, Liberty Media will increase the team payroll so I can waste even more money in 2012 !
Frank
Mr. October
October 6th, 2011
1:56 pm
This team needs to purge (or flush as was suggested here earlier) from the “great run”. It will be awhile before they can recover from those desperate moves the past few years mortgaging the future to give Bobby one more title (so he would have as many as the Marlins). Look at all the Braves talent in the playoffs this year. Texas would not even be in the playoffs had they not robbed the Braves so desperate for Texiera.
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Fredi is probably a very good manager, but in Atlanta he is Cox 2.0. This team will be good again, but not as long as just making the playoffs means a successful season and not as long as they live in the past, that wonderful past that yielded just one Championship. Just one.
Broom
October 6th, 2011
2:00 pm
Time for Chipper to retire – and be a full time hitting coach. Let’s keep adding speed to the lineup (still not sure why we quit playing Costanza) and learn how to make consistent contact with the baseball. Focus on the basics, learn to bunt for Pete’s sake.
Kentavo
October 6th, 2011
2:00 pm
Ted M; Matt Kemp is not a free agent; they CAN’T sign him. Learn a li’l something before you pop off.
Mitchell
October 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Listen, it’s not even about winning a World Series.
We’re not the Phillies. If they don’t win the World Series their season is a complete failure.
The Braves on the other hand have made one playoff appearance in the six years since the run of division titles ended.
Again, six seasons, one playoff appearance.
That’s the problem.
Not that we haven’t won a World Series. The fact that we haven’t even competed for one in two decades. This decade, last decade and the ’90s.
The last time the Braves were a legitimate World Series contender Bill Clinton had just been elected to a second term.
It’s just about being relevant. The Braves are only relevant in their own minds.
Kids don’t collect baseball cards anymore. I haven’t heard of kids collecting them for years.
When Don Sutton talks about Chipper being at the end of his career but that young pitchers still pitch to the “back of his baseball card” that’s bull****.
If Chipper were a DH, he’d be fine at that but he’s our number three hitter. That’s one of many problems this team has. He’s probably one of the worst number three hitters in baseball.
No 21 year old kid even remembers Chipper Jones in his prime. He’s an easy out half the time and his defense kept us out of the playoffs.
Get a grip on reality. Either own up to your failures and do something about it for once or just get back to business as usual.
Show us. Don’t tell us.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
2:04 pm
I think the best point made on here is that it’s difficult to justify what it costs to take a family to an MLB game nowadays if all you’re gonna see is the same ol’, same ol’. Awfully easy for a fella making what JS makes to tell us that we need to keep coming to the park, spending our meager paychecks on what is essentially a lousy team. Personally I wasn’t fooled by the inflated record earlier in the year and was pretty convinced far ahead of Sept. that it wasn’t likely that we would make the playoffs. We didn’t hit. We didn’t hit all year, not just Sept.
Braves, Giants brass apologize to fans | HardballTalk
October 6th, 2011
2:08 pm
[...] they’re not both technically apologies. Schuerholz’s sounds more like that and, as is clear from the personalized greeting, was sent via email to [...]
Peter
October 6th, 2011
2:09 pm
@Bryan Here’s an idea…quit being cheapskates when you play in a division with the Yankees of the NL. Philly is willing to spend money to get key players. The Braves keep trying to scrape by on the cheap.
The Phillies sell out every game and the experience of attending a game at Citizens Bank Park far exceeds the cost of attending a game at Turner Field. Sometimes we, the fans need to step up and take our share of the blame.
smyrnabob
October 6th, 2011
2:09 pm
Why apologize? We just want championships.
In 2012 still stuck with Lowe and Chipper contracts which are almost 1/3 of payroll. If Lowe can have a year like 2010, and Chipper like 2011, then those are acceptable numbers. Wish we could have seen Pastornicky in September. But with Teheran, Delgado, Minor, Beachy, Vizcaino and Medlin’s return, the future does look good.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
2:10 pm
Mitchell: I was with you up until you started cussing Chipper, once again, probably our most consistent hitter this year. The guy DESERVES to play in Atlanta until the day he’s ready to hang ‘em up. Is he a number 3 hitter anymore? No, without doubt, no. But he had to fill that role a lot this year because nobody else stepped it up for any length of time. Certainly not his fault. Saying he isn’t a tough out anymore isn’t fair either, Albert Pujols wouldn’t be a tough out in the lineup we trotted out there day in and day out. Keep it in perspective, still a tough out at 39, still a solid glove at third, lost ball in the lights notwithstanding. Focus more attention on muuuuuuuuch more glaring issues.
nelson
October 6th, 2011
2:14 pm
hey shuerholtz sign albert pujols or fielder .. traded freeman for a quality starter pitcher , out chipper, lowe , gonzales, martin prado is a perfect 3r baseman , and sign jose reyes for a ss .
Tree Rollins
October 6th, 2011
2:16 pm
They solved the problem – the problem was a hitting collapse and the hitting coach was fired. Now play ball!
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
2:16 pm
keep jose reyes as far away from the Braves as possible, we don’t need that prima dona! and Mr. Shuerholz, the only way you could possibly describe Dan Ugglas defense as incredible is to say it was incredibly pedestrian! Go watch Robby Cano play at 2B fior a while and try and say that!
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
did they ever do anything about the “handling fee” fiasco witht the playoff tickets or is everybody who bought ‘em still screwed?
phil
October 6th, 2011
2:37 pm
As I’ve said at least a dozen times now, until they fire FG (that means terminate), I won’t be returning to another game and neither will my family.
That stupid, meaningless, obvious attempt to appease what they think are idiot, moron fans letter that I just read actually makes me EVEN ANGRIER because it’s insulting to our collective intelligence (or lack thereof in a number of instances).
Why should any of us with any sense come back next year and support more of the same? FG is so appallingly in over his head that I can’t believe he was ever even hired. The guy kept running automatic loss Lowe out there until literally the very end. Need I say more?
Fire FG or enjoy and empty stadium….at least that’s what the ownership deserves.
phil
October 6th, 2011
2:37 pm
an empty stadium…
john
October 6th, 2011
2:39 pm
Peter..LOL!
phil
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
did they ever do anything about the “handling fee” fiasco witht the playoff tickets or is everybody who bought ‘em still screwed?
*******************
And I forgot about that….
$46.00 HANDLING FEE? ARE THE BRAVES OUT OF THEIR MINDS EVEN MORE THAN THEY WERE IN HIRING FG? That makes me want to spit blood.
REFUND THESE PEOPLE MOST OF THAT MONEY!! Absurd, highway robbery.
I’m embarassed for the first time to be a fan of this team.
CHRIS
October 6th, 2011
2:43 pm
Watching the Atlanta Braves play is like a bad bowel movement. Chipper Jones couldn’t catch a cold at 3rd base. He stinks with a capital S. His new nick-name should be TITANIC. What a waste of good money. As long as the fans accept this crap dished to them year after year, the owners could care less. When you people hit them where it counts the most: by not paying $10 to park, $8 to almost $200 dollars for a seat to watch this trainwreck. Not to mention the cost of food and drinks, then you will see changes. The only question I have is how do I get in on this cash producing cow?
john
October 6th, 2011
2:45 pm
Tree rollins, what u smoking man? solved the problem he!!. Fire fredi
scottbravesfan
October 6th, 2011
2:48 pm
Sounds good John now go get Josh Willingham to play left field for next year.
EKII
October 6th, 2011
2:52 pm
I am sure that Fredi will eventually get his act together. I only hope it occurs somewhere than Atlanta.
Joey M
October 6th, 2011
2:53 pm
If the only thing we do differently next year is replacing Derek Lowe with Chris Medlen, we could possibly win the East, if not clinch the Wild Card early.
extremus
October 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
I still have never received an answer from anyone on this: Is Liberty Media’s tax write-off eligibility expiring this year, and if so does it mean they will sell the Braves? And if THAT is so, any possible candidates to be the new owner (meaning parties who WOULD be able and willing to do so, preferably human and local)?
George Stein
October 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
Dan Uggla and his incredible defense? Is he being serious or joking? I hope it’s the latter.
Joey M
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
DOB, what do you think the chances are Wren will move Prado yet again, plug him at short and bring in a right handed hitter for left field like Josh Willingham or maybe even Raul Ibanez? Or, we could go after Orlando Cabrera for short and leave Prado in Left. What about bringing back Wilson Betemit and playing him all over the diamond?
dee
October 6th, 2011
2:59 pm
the braves got tired of ppl looking for the best. when u win merit to wuslify u asa champ, ppl develop qualifications 4u. if a woman tries 2make out like shes all that, she becomes a leaf in my history book
dap01
October 6th, 2011
3:01 pm
Hearing JS speak about the Braves is like the politicians in Washington explaining the recession and why nothing has worked. Just get us players, we don’t really want “explanations”.
iTiSi
October 6th, 2011
3:03 pm
I expect the Braves attendance at the start of next year to rival that of the Florida Marlins. Most, like myself will take a wait-and-see attitude. In fact, after getting somewhat attached to the Milwaukee Brewers, I may just give up on the Braves completely after many, many years of high expectations. If the Braves management were serious they would go ahead an replace the manager, Fredi Gonzalez. That would go a long ways toward a fresh start. He is totally inept and over his head.
guy
October 6th, 2011
3:03 pm
It seems like the front office has very quietly grown very impatient with the team’s lack of success over the years. I don’t think he’ll be fired this offseason, but I do think Fredi should start to get nervous about his job. It’s definitely not a lock, nor should it be.
Justafan?
October 6th, 2011
3:04 pm
I agree with Phil. I’ve been a fan 40 plus years and I’m tired of excuses. Wait till next year is old like 1 out of 40 times…sucks. All the 2nd place crap is just that~~ with all the little signs in OF. If you’re second that means you didn’t win=LOSER! Spin it anyway you wish you lost.
Fredi G is a loser. He was with Fish and he is with Braves. Wren is a loser, he was with Balt. and he is here. Its a shame we have fans that are happen to be in top 10. The Braves management spins this crap to fans and never products just like their players. I will do like Phil and stay home till Fredi is gone…I had season tickets for 8 years. Not anymore~~ save your money and spend the time with family. Maybe one day Braves will do whats necessary to be #1 instead of LOSERS!
PS. Bobby is gone~~get some new blood in town and not his clone!
Joey M
October 6th, 2011
3:05 pm
I would personally really like if Chipper would rework his contract to pay him over multiple years, than sign Aramis Ramirez. Chipper has to know he is not helping this team and Ramirez is a poor man’s Miguel Cabrera. He would be an excellent fit in Atlanta.
Kris
October 6th, 2011
3:05 pm
Scott Proctor plays for the Yankees now now so he will not be signed by the braves.He wasnt that good when we had him anyways.
Kris
October 6th, 2011
3:07 pm
Prado should be better next season.I believe we should put him at short stop and find a anther left fielder that can hit for average and not hit for HR.
Line Drive
October 6th, 2011
3:12 pm
Its okay to send out a letter, but I really don’t know if I will ever trust this team again. So what if we start next season 12-2, based on previous history, won’t mean anything. So what if we are 50-30 at the All-Star Break and Jurrjens is 11-2 with an ERA under 3…..won’t mean anything. What if we have an 8 game lead (division or WC) on September 1, 2012, will have to hold on for dear life once again. I ask one and all who are close to this franchise….WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE OFFSEASON TO PREVENT THE SAME FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN 2012?
phil
October 6th, 2011
3:12 pm
Attaboy, Justafan….
No more of my money to pay FG to insult me by pitching Lowe with the season on the line…
Nor any more of it to support insulting letters from JS…
Fire FG and Chip Caray too!!
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:12 pm
Prado is a good utilty man and thats all..
phil
October 6th, 2011
3:13 pm
Well, Line Drive, since we retained FG as manager, I dare say nothing.
Not one single, solitary thing.
Stay home next season.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
3:16 pm
If Chipper has the same year he had on many other clubs with a serious 3 hole hitter, nobody complains, pretty good production from 3B, it just looks bad because he had to hit in the 3 hole most of the year and that isn’t really his fault. We need Freeman to extend hot streaks into a more consistent approach and take over that spot in the order next year so that Chipper doesn’t have to hit 40 home runs to keep people off his back. First ballot hall of famer who has played his entire career in Atlanta, could’ve left a couple times for more money, chose to stay, basically has no knees left and still comes through an awful lot for the club, sept. collapse notwithstanding, get off him people. Chipper is a gamer who doesn’t have the body of a gamer anymore, if he could play every day at the level he used to, he would.
bobbymahlon
October 6th, 2011
3:17 pm
Pogo Stick : I know Prado had a off season after the injury but why do you single him out for our fold up . I think if you will look you will find a few other players who contributed to us missing the playoffs. You may not know this but he was the all star second baseman last year for the National League and was asked to play left field,thirdbase and Ist base this year and did it without crying.
Give the guy a chance this was his first bad year. I hope he goes home and looks at films showing how he was not striding into the ball but bailing out many of the time. You will not hit many line drives by sticking your butt out and hitting only with the arms and hands. The problem with Prado is he can fill in at many places and do a good job but not stay there long enough to get comfortable and I think it affected his hitting. I hope that was the problem so that he can fix it and return to his old self. Go Martin.
Tim L.
October 6th, 2011
3:20 pm
While Martin is average to better than average at 2B and 3B he does not have the range to play SS. Bring Alex back on one year contract and start giving Pastornicky some playing time at SS, with Alex as insurance and mentor.
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:21 pm
Prado is not a very good 3b,LF,are SS and he’s not taking Ugglas place. So what you got?– all-star utility player.
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:24 pm
Tim L..everyone was calling for Alex’s head this year. Please stop the bleeding, no to Alex!
u sound like management.
bobbymahlon
October 6th, 2011
3:25 pm
Players are not going to learn how to bunt because they say get out of here we are paid to hit home runs not to bunt. That is what they said to Phil Ruzzuto one spring traning back some years ago when the Yankees assigned him to teach bunting.
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:26 pm
I like that Pogo Stick
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
3:27 pm
Prado should play 2B EVERY GAME next year, bite the bullet (we’re stuck with him afterall, Shuerholz’ incredible rated defense all the same) and move Uggla to LF and set up a more traditionally focused club with better defensive range and return one of your clubhouse leaders and better disciplined hitters (this year’s BA notwithstanding) to a more core-concept spot on the diamond and on the team. That alone will account for a positive boost to next season’s offense, I guarantee it! Send A Gon packin’ poorest approach at the plate on the team, get 2 strikes on him and he’s pretty much a sure out. Don’t believe me? Go back and look at tape of him, there were at-bats where he swung at a strike 3 that didn’t even make it all the way to the plate in the air!
phil
October 6th, 2011
3:31 pm
I can’t take another year watching Gonzo flail wildly at low and away breaking balls and high heaters….I don’t know if i can take even one more AB of it.
Please, for the love of Andres Thomas, Gonzo has to go bye bye and be replaced by anyone….we can live the errors, just not those empty ABs that rob us all of hope.
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:33 pm
I hear u Phil..
Steve
October 6th, 2011
3:33 pm
I’ll still upset. what upsets me the most is the managers response that the entire staff is returning less than 12 hours removed from the loss. Not to mention the softball questions that were asked by DOB and Carroll to Wren in the Q&A.
JimHartwell
October 6th, 2011
3:33 pm
The Braves will finish 3rd in the division next year behind Washington and Philly!!!
ijudgenot
October 6th, 2011
3:34 pm
Well, I like most here thought that Fredi was a lock to come back next year as manager, but after Wren’s reversal of the “everyone stays” statement by Fredi, and this leaked letter by management to the press, I think Mgt realizes that the collapse this season will cause some serious loss of fans unless there are some MAJOR changes. Parish is not a major change. Unfortunately, Fredi has been comprimised. He came in thinking that all he had to do for now was be another Bobby Cox until Chipper retired, then(if he ever was his on man) make the moves he would make without the Bobby Cox influence. I am not so sure the Braves can wait for that now. They now need someone demonstrably different approach than the Bobby Cox “let the boys play” approach. That manager would have to demand changes in attitude of the players that would more than likely PO some veterans especially Chipper. Chipper would probably let the public know via the media that he was not pleased with the new demands. The manager would have to stick to his guns to earn the respect of the rest of the team. I don’t think Fredi can do that now, given this past season.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
3:34 pm
Andres Thomas! Ha! Hilarious man, agreed agreed agreed!
Stinger2
October 6th, 2011
3:35 pm
Itip my cap to herby hancock who posted at 12.33:
The braves need an enema. Truer words were never spoken.
p.s. If the enema fails to completely cleanse the mess, try an old fashioned dose of castor oil aand glycerine suppositories.
justafan?
October 6th, 2011
3:36 pm
Hartwell if Fredi G is back ..thats what they deserve.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
3:36 pm
I disagree, I got the impression all season long that Chipper thought Fredi was a puppet and not much of a manager, I think he would welcome a new approach.
John Schuerholtz
October 6th, 2011
3:40 pm
You see… as a fan you just don’t understand the stabililty he gives us on defense. And we all know pitching and defense wins. Say, have you thought about our glorious past? All those division titles and how our management is the envy of the league? Take a look at all those division banners in left field and you too will appreciate what we have done. Be proud Braves fans and remember, reaching high for the ultimate reward – DIVISION TITLES – makes us a top notch organization.
Thank you!
- John Schuerholz
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:41 pm
stinger2..I feel your pain and agree with the medicine. lol
Mike
October 6th, 2011
3:41 pm
Wanna make a statement, fire Fredi, hire Francona, tell Chipper to retire, release Lowe, demote Heyward back to AA, sign Bourne long term. Also fire Frank Wren , he is a disappointment . Look at his track record in Baltimore , they are still picking up the pieces and they were once a ” Proud organization “. Also, MR. BLANK , PLEASE BUY THE BRAVES , AT LEAST YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR TEAM.
2-10 against ranked teams(Bulldogs) worse than collapse of 8 1/2 games??
October 6th, 2011
3:42 pm
AGTFan53…..so we should be thankful for the Braves to choke and lose 8 1/2 game lead in the last 3 weeks, huh?
Wow, I nominate you for “Fan of the Year” award…..me? I’m just plain tired of mediocrity…..
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
3:44 pm
JS whoever you are, veeeeery cute!
20 out
October 6th, 2011
3:45 pm
This letter is stupid. Why doesn’t he just come out and ask for the guy to buy his season tickets again? It’s a blatant kiss up. Saying you’re disappointed is one thing; actually doing something to prevent it from happening again is another thing.
TheAntiMe
October 6th, 2011
3:47 pm
In synopsis:
Sorry, dudes and dudettes, we F$%*ed up. We are going to do better next time so how ’bout spending some more of that green on us next season. Ciao, baby.
jb
October 6th, 2011
3:48 pm
I got that impression also “fan80″..Chipper didn’t seem to happy to me with Mr. fredi.
got to go till FG’s gone.
TomTomClub
October 6th, 2011
3:48 pm
bravesfansince80s; i agree with you on A Gon but moving Uggla to LF when he has never played in the outfield his entire career?? Prado is best served as a utility player. A better solution would be to get a legit LF with power and defensive skills.
2-10 against ranked teams(Bulldogs) worse than collapse of 8 1/2 games??
October 6th, 2011
3:50 pm
On a serious note….I think strong consideration should be given to trade Jurrjens and/or Hansen for a true, proven power corner outfielder or two. Yes, that’s a big risk, but you can get something without giving up something. Between Medlen, Minor, Beachy, Teheran, Delgado, and Vizcaino…..they should be able to step up there with Hudson without much drop off
Jurrjens and Hansen seem to be injury prone, and both seem to drop off after the all star break every year….
Chris
October 6th, 2011
3:51 pm
Don’t send that letter to me. I’m a Cardinals fan. I should be thanking you…
John Schuerholtz
October 6th, 2011
3:54 pm
Folks, I am conservative by nature… and we all know that change is never good. Status quo is good. No waves… no splash… steady as she goes. Bringing in players or coaches who have personalities could upset our plans and goals. For example, I like bland food and no excitement… it keeps me relaxed and my blood pressure down. Fixing things only leads to potential additional problems.
Now it’s time for dinner. I am getting a little crazy tonight and am going to have white bread toast and warm soy milk. We don’t want to run the risk of getting indigestion!
Gym Nash
October 6th, 2011
4:01 pm
Incredible defense by Dan Uggla?!!?? Is this guy out of his mind?
yunel asscobar
October 6th, 2011
4:14 pm
Retaining Fredi Gonzalez for 2012 is nothing short of managerial malpractice. Letters to the fan base can sugar coat and spin, but the people who know baseball and watch this team, know that Fredi cannot change the culture, build in the accountability, or demonstrate the leadership necessary to make this an elite team. It’s beyond his ability.
In business, when you make a bad hire, you don’t continue to ride the dead horse. Be slow to hire, quick to fire. What we saw this year? It’s NOT working.
Mike dawg
October 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
John this team went down the day u hired Frank Wren !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin
October 6th, 2011
4:20 pm
Wow some of you will believe anything. The season just got over and some of you are already forgiving and drinking the kool-aid for next season. Some of you never learn. This is why I will not feel bad for you when your disappointed once again next season. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. The braves will not win me back in a letter or spring training. They will only win me back proving something in October.
Bill
October 6th, 2011
4:21 pm
It was sad, It was disappointing but that is now last year and it’s time to find another solid bat and a plan not to over work the key guys out of the pen.
GO BRAVES!!!!
Kevin
October 6th, 2011
4:22 pm
To all people who renew season tickets …Let me light this 1000 bucks in my hand on fire right now.
ctrim
October 6th, 2011
4:24 pm
Braves Fans seemed much happier when we sucked in the 80s. One game away from the playoffs and the future is bright. Go Braves!
Todd
October 6th, 2011
4:25 pm
Trade Lowe to the Mariners for Chone Figgins straight up. Lowe owed 15 mil next year and Figgins owed 17 mil over the next 2 years. Figgins has good speed and can play multiple positions and this would give us about 6-7 mil in salary relief next year.
FAUx Frank Williams
October 6th, 2011
4:26 pm
Frank Williams please put down the crack pipe you are an embarrassing yourself.
You have no clue about what happened in Baltimore and even less of a clue about what’s happening here on planet earth!
1st) In 2008 — Jorge Campilo was the most reliable starter for the Braves after the All Star break. In case you forgot imbecilic one that years starting rotation was decimated by injuries. That team also lacked a credible starter for the back of the rotation.
Derek Lowe took the ball and provided 200 plus innings and allowed this team to be competitive for a playoff berth in 2009 and win the NL Wild Card in 2010 because of his efforts in 2010.
2) Positive Acquisitions
Billy Wagner
Dan Uggla
Michael Bourn
Arodys Vizcaino
Mike Dunn
Alex Gonzalez
Eric Hinske
RE-signed Tim Hudson
3) Baseball America and many other publications are touting the Braves as a future WS contender in 2012 and beyond with very bright days ahead.
Frank Williams all you know about baseball is that you can’t hit it.
Brave New World
October 6th, 2011
4:30 pm
The “man love” for Chipper from some of these posts suggests what may be wrong with The Braves (among other things). Yes, Chipper has had a HOF career, but he has become more like Brett Favre (”Will I play another year? Will I play two games in a row?”). I admire Chipper for what he used to be, but what he is now is a self-absorbed anchor on a young team.
wjones
October 6th, 2011
4:31 pm
“There are core assets (McCann, Uggla, Jurrjens, Hanson and Hudson), and many of them are young and on the cheap (Heyward, Freeman, Venters & Kimbrel) so nobody will fault the team for using them. But if the Braves want to ‘excite” the base, they need to make an occasional splash. Derek Lowe was the “bridesmaid” in that free agent season; let’s not forget that. We “settled” on him when we lost Vasquez and couldn’t get A.J. Burnett (who’s not been Cy Young, but hasn’t been Derek Lowe, either).”
Historical correction—-we landed Lowe and Vasquez the same year. Also, check out Burnett’s numbers. He has been just as bad as Lowe—maybe a bit worse—for more money. We were in a desparate situation that year, as we had only Jurrjens and a bunch of not-ready-for-prime-time players coming back—-Jo Jo Reyes, Charlie Morton, a very questionable Tom Glavine, a never-before-seen Tommy Hanson—-so there was a great urgency to bump up the rotation, which brought us Vazquez, Lowe, and KK. Which also begat the philosophy of hanging onto our pitching depth to prevent that from happening again. The last little bit of that will be over just as soon as Lowe is either traded in the off-season or at the end of 2012 when his contract expires.
DOCUMENTS » Braves, Giants brass apologize to fans » DOCUMENTS
October 6th, 2011
4:31 pm
[...] they’re not both technically apologies. Schuerholz’s sounds some-more like that and, as is transparent from a personalized greeting, was sent around [...]
Gee Dubya
October 6th, 2011
4:32 pm
Kevin… how does that sayin’ go again? Fool me once… shame on… um… me.. I mean you… fool me twaace… uh. Ya git fooled ya wont git fooled again!
Tim
October 6th, 2011
4:35 pm
Nice gesture, but I have a better one.
NickGranite
October 6th, 2011
4:39 pm
The difference between Frank Wren and Obama is Obama doesn’t have to write a letter after he fails.
O'flarity's water bottle
October 6th, 2011
4:43 pm
Wren shoud be fired, the money that was wasted on KK and Lowe has harmed this team and put us in a finacial hostage. The two well under performed their abilities. KK being untested and Lowe being over the hill should of sent a red flag. Is our scouting core bad? Is Wren incompetent? Both?
David O'Brien
October 6th, 2011
4:47 pm
Najeh Davenpoop, happy guy.
I think it’s awful that someone forces you to not just read our newspaper, but also to read these blogs AND to follow me on Twitter, especially in the dead week after a season ends. Still, hanging on every word. Must be at gunpoint.
Hopefully someone will come to your aid soon. Hang in there.
Ron
October 6th, 2011
4:49 pm
it’s nice to finally see the Braves brass pissed and angered about what happened,I think Frank and John know in the heart of hearts this would not in any way happened under Bobby Cox……could it be buyer’s remorse? Fredi’s a good guy……he just doesn’t appear to be a motivator,give him one more year, hire Leo as pitching coach and FIX IT!
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
4:54 pm
man love? try true baseball fan. proud of the fact that we’ve actually had somebody like Chipper play their whole career in our town and not went out shopping for Cashman money on the FA market. Put it in perspective, in the last 20 years, how many other clubs have had somebody like play entirely for them? man love… more like realism…
Bill M.
October 6th, 2011
4:54 pm
What the Braves really need is a new owner and clean house starting at the top and go all the way to the bottom, yes that means you Schuerholz. The Braves don’t have the balls to fire Freddi Gonzales. Schuerholz, if you want to make a big splash,sign one of the FA 1st baseman and move FF to LF, you would see a difference in attendence and the fans would be more excited about baseball in Atlanta again..
wjones
October 6th, 2011
4:58 pm
Reality check time—many of you had made the statement to the effect that if the Yankees or Red Sox had signed players to bad contracts they would be ‘accountable” and “heads would roll”. My question to you is, “Are you crazy?” But to illustrate why you are dead wrong, here are some Yankee contracts:
A-Rod–36 years old—Yankees will pay him through 2017 with a full no-trade clause (12-$29m; 13-$28m; 14-$25m; 15-$21m; 16-$20m; 17-$20m). Guaranteed major money through age 42.
CC Sabathia–31 years old–Yankees owe him through 2015, though CC may opt out at any time the team is bound, with full no-trade clause. They will owe him $23m each year, and he will be 35 yo should he elect to stay through the end of the contract.
Mark Teixiera–also 31 years old–Yankees owe him through 2016, with a no-trade clause. They will owe him $22.5m each year, so he will be 36 at the end of the contract.
A.J. Burnett–34 years old–Yankees still owe him for two more years, through 2013, at $16.5 m each year. He has limited no-trade clause, can pick 10 teams to refuse trade to. He will be 36 at the end of the contract. Yes, this contract IS worse than Lowe’s.
Derek Jeter–37 years old–Yankees owe him through 2013, with Jeter having an option to return in 2014. They owe him $16m in 2012, $17m in 2013, and if Jeter decides to come back in 2014, they will owe him only $8m. He will then be a 40 yo shortstop, I believe that would make him the oldest regular shortstop in mlb history.
Mariano Rivera–42 years old–Yankees owe him next year at $15m.
Rafael Soriano–32 years old and perhaps insane–the Yankees owe him for two more years, will pay him $11m in 2012 and $14 m in 2013. Soriano has the option to opt out at the end of each season.
By the way, they cut their payroll down by $ 6 million this year, all the way down to a miserly $207+ million. Disgusting.
Gee Dubya
October 6th, 2011
5:01 pm
Thank me for helping Obama to fail… The recession was declared in Dec. of 2007 and went good and strong through 08! And remember me runnin’ to congress shoutin’ about the banking and credit debacle? You’re welcome Obama!
John E. Cakes
October 6th, 2011
5:06 pm
Those who say the solution is to get rid of Fredi are exactly the kind of people I wouldn’t want fixing this problem because it’s the simple way to try to address the problems. The issues are much deeper – all the way up the line straight to John Schuerholts’ office!
pat
October 6th, 2011
5:09 pm
I think this very private organization needs to be public about their strategy to address this season’s issues and what’s going to be done to make sure it never happens again.
The elephant in the room is that there was no offesive stratagy, no preparedness to deal with a weakened offense. To many times it seemed if we hit a good pitcher, we’d just give up, roll over and pea on ourselves. That’s not how championships are won. We don’t and we won’t have a team that can go bat to bat with any team in the league, we need preparation and strategy.
Where was the plan to run up pitch counts on good pitchers? “Oh Lee had his good stuff tonight, couldn’t touch him, tip the cap.” That’s fine everyonce in a while, you going to get beat from time to time, but giving up with out a fight is what was unacceptable to me.
Lee’s got his good stuff? Fine. Take a few pitches, foul about 20-30 pitches off in the first 2 innings, Lee won’t be there to long. If you got Lee with 46 pitches by the end of the 2nd inning, you have a frusterated pissed off Lee, a guy who will go 5 – 6 innings max.
Everybody should be a threat on the bases, not just 2 guys. Freeman, Uggla, Heyward, Gonzales, Diaz all can be threats on the bags. It’s not about steals per se, it’s about the threat. If the opponent only has to worry about 2 guys, they aren’t worried.
I want to know strategy.
I want this coach to call his players out in private first, then in public. I like class, but I want passion.
JTH
October 6th, 2011
5:10 pm
Sounds desperate.
bravesfansince80s
October 6th, 2011
5:10 pm
Mr. Cakes, it’s pretty tough to fire a team president with Shuerholz’ creddentials, but a first year manager who sits atop the worst sept. collaps in team history? another matter altogether. Besides, if you read some of the more enlightened comments regarding FG, you would see that it’s not so much a snap response to the collapse as it is calculated disgust over the course of the entire season where he seemed very much over his head and incapable of a true leadership role that completely melted down by the end. When, not if, the Braves fire FG, he’ll be lucky to get back on somewhere as a 3B coach, because every other club in baseball is now well aware that he doesn’t have what it takes!
Mitchell
October 6th, 2011
5:16 pm
Mitchell Gross charged with bilking millions from women he met on Internet
Looks like I’m going to be going away for a while.
They got me.
I am gross.
Oh, wait.
John E. Cakes
October 6th, 2011
5:24 pm
bravesfansince80s : There’s a common thread here: the same lack luster post season performances year in, year out… with Bobby (aside from a year or two with a team of super stars) and Fredi. There’s a culture here that needs to change and it cannot change by adding a few players or changing a manager.
Calling for the manager, Terry Fancona, Joe Torre or insert name is INDEED a snap reactionary response because it’s the simplest thing in the world to do.
You’re wrong
TXBrave
October 6th, 2011
5:25 pm
There is an old southern saying I would like to invoke at this time: “don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining.” I’m not buying this “we’re going to do everything we can” to make our team better. When I watch teams like St Louis get more out of players like Theriot, Craig, Jay and Berkman it makes me realize our GM has no clue how to scout talent. We have relied on guys like, A-GON Kawakami, McLouth, Conrad, Wilson, Hinske, Derek Lee to put us over the hump. It’s just a difficult sell unless we can really get some real talent/production. How will we ever be able to compete with the Phillies/Cardinals with the lineup and bench we have. I would really like to see an overhaul but I’m afraid we’ll just add a decent Bench guy or two.