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3,788 comments Add your comment
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
5:10 pm
Gee. I can’t way to watch that 88mph fastball float into the catchers mitt. That sure will be swell.
But he commands it so well……….barf…..
Kids, I’m taking you to the park today. The Braves have this 88mph lefty on the mound. I want you to see what “signability” looks like.
Second classic post on this page.
Lew
October 17th, 2011
5:10 pm
Wasn’t Mike Piazza signed as a favor to his father, a friend of Lasorda’s? I seriously doubt any of those mentioned as cases of nepotism were signed for much money and will likely never see a MLB game. Hardly worth worrying about. If one of them makes it? Great. If not? Oh well. Not like they were paid a huge bonus or took up money that would have enabled us to draft someone spectacular.
N8
October 17th, 2011
5:11 pm
‘I don’t think there is much of a difference between the regular season and postseason…..”
You should have pretty much just stopped right there Shaun. Because most here on the blog will be laughing too hard, or have a headache from rollng their eyes to bother reading any further.
Just when I think you can’t possibly get any dumber……
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
5:11 pm
I mean, Page 6. N8 booted me from page 6 and for two consecutive pages, I’m leading off.
Murph
October 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
N8’s in a bad mood today… turn that frown upside down. There’s a lot to smile about, like… ummmm… hey, Proctor isn’t a Brave anymore! So, that’s something.
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
I can say with near 100% certainty that Chipper Jones will not be traded………… ever.
Gotcha Random!
DAP
October 17th, 2011
5:15 pm
N8More than Glavine, Maddux or Smoltz? Highly unlikely.
i think the blogger was referring the fact that chipper restructured his contract and changed positions in an effort to make the braves more competitive. Glavine, Madduz and Smoltz all left to the highest bidders.
DAP
October 17th, 2011
5:16 pm
and andruw.
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
5:16 pm
We were 24th out of 30 teams in 2011 draft budget…..
We actually outspent 6 major league baseball teams.
Lew
October 17th, 2011
5:16 pm
Murph – Proctor’s gone, so are Linebrink, Schafer and McNate. People should be thrilled.
Lew
October 17th, 2011
5:17 pm
Of course, Schafer did take his peanut butter cups with him….
Murph
October 17th, 2011
5:17 pm
Glavine, Madduz and Smoltz all left to the highest bidders.
Didn’t the Braves kinda force them to leave? I think Glavine was offered minimum wage and a discount on team merchandise… not really all that surprising that any of them went away.
jim
October 17th, 2011
5:18 pm
RC,
I agree with pitching depth like the Braves have and especially with young pitchers that need to have their innings watched, I would go with a 6-man starting staff where each one of the 6 pitchers gets a start off after every 5 starts. The down side wouled be that either there would be 1 fewer arm in the bullpen or 1 less bench player to add the 6th starter. I don’t think the DL could be abused regularly with faqke injuries without MLB clamping down.
Jbailz
October 17th, 2011
5:21 pm
Everyone is making fun of the guy with the 88 mph fastball… Didn’t Maddux top out at close to that? He seemed to do pretty well…
Lew
October 17th, 2011
5:23 pm
jim – Wouldn’t have to deplete the bullpen to do it when you have both Kris Medlen and Cristhian Martinez who could make spot starts and remain in the pen for long relief or multi inning appearances.
P-Town Brave ©
October 17th, 2011
5:24 pm
Murph-
But you gotta remember, for every Linebrink and Proctor we lose, we add another one of those clowns the next year….
I’m not sure what was worse though….leaving Proctor in the organization for multiple years thinking he had something when he didn’t OR trading for a guy who we paid 6.5M just to get basically bent over….
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:25 pm
The first time he left, Glavine left for more a fair amount more money in NY. But his ATL offer was not an insult either. How much more did it cost him to maintain a second household and travel out and back? Traitor.
Maddux left and ended up getting LESS from the Cubs than the Braves offered.
Smoltz went for the cash dive. And we ALL know he was well worth it that last year with Boston and St Louis, right!
And Andruw was the best of all. 2 years at 18.3 million per year, that the Dodgers ended up eating the second year.
Yeah, Chipper has done more than any of those guys ever did for this team.
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
5:30 pm
Everyone is making fun of the guy with the 88 mph fastball… Didn’t Maddux top out at close to that? He seemed to do pretty well…
I thought it was more like 93 when with the Cubs. Anyway, it’s probably best to just go for those flamethrowers. Missing bats is the name of the game.
N8
October 17th, 2011
5:31 pm
First of all I’m not in a bad mood. But stupid posts get me there really quick.
DAP, to start off, Maddux took less money to BECOME a Brave than what the Yankees offered. Then took less again, when he resigned in 97 than he could have gotten on the open market. Glavine followed suit after that later that season (the summer after JS traded Justice and Grissom to be able to afford to keep both Glavine and Maddux).
Smoltz also took less money than the Yankees were offering following his Cy Young winning season in 1996. Smoltz ALSO switched positions to help the Braves. Going from starter to closer, and again turned down more money from teams who offered to keep him as a starter.
Andruw side-stepped his agent and signed an extension with the Braves the first chance he had.
Maddux was pushed out the door by not being offered arbitration after he had accepted the year before (much to the surprise of the Braves). Glavine was offered a fair deal, but as the union player rep, felt obligated to take the best offer (and he was probably mad about it).
Smoltz was also offered a fair deal for a guy who was coming off of a major injury. He chose to take the money in Boston, and in the end Wren looked like a genius for not guaranteeing all that money.
Andruw sucked so bad at the end of his tenure that they basically let him walk, because they knew somebody was going to overpay for him. And the Dodgers did just that.
All of those guys took less money to stay with the Braves, stay with each other and probably to stay with Bobby. Don’t think for a second they were in the “favor” business by taking less money to stay with the Braves.
And Chipper has certainly been fantastic. Easily top 5 in greatest position Braves of all time. Probably #1 in guys that played their entire career in Atlanta. With Murphy being a close 2nd, mainly because he NEVER had the surrounding lineup and rotation that Chipper had the luxury of being part of.
Obviously probably #3 on the alltime switch hitter list (until Tex passes him later in his career).
But his accomplishments on the field aren’t as significant as what Smoltz and Glavine did in terms of changing the culture in how Atlanta was viewed and feared as a team. I’d put Chipper behind both of them in terms of “on field” impact. With Maddux closely behind Chipper. Only because he was brought in AFTER the run had began.
So from my angle, I’m covered on both fronts of the poster’s argument. In terms of on field and money, Chipper’s not the Lone Ranger some make him out to be in terms of bending over backwards to “help” the Braves. That was my point.
N8
October 17th, 2011
5:33 pm
Wayne apparently you forgot about all those times Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux “hung around” for less in the 90’s too.
Shame on you. I expect better than that from an old-timer like yourself.
jim
October 17th, 2011
5:33 pm
The differnce between the spot start and the 6-man rotation is that the 6th starter would be on a regular schedule of 5 games on and 1 game off (as would the other 5) — One could modify this plan by letting Hudson go every 5th day as usual and going 4 games on 1 game off with the other 5 “starters” Mrdlen could be a candidate for one of the 6 starter slots, but Teheran doesn’t have much more to prove at AAA and Delgado looked very good last month too.
Hammy the Brave
October 17th, 2011
5:33 pm
DOB,
Are you sure that Jurjjens is so greatly undervalued now that he can’t be realistically traded, or is that conjecture?
I wonder if the Braves could package JJ with Costanza, Matt Diaz and Jairo Ascencio to Baltimore for Adam Jones(OF), Robert Andino(SS/2B), Brian Mastuz( stalled Lefty prospect) and Josh Bell (stalled 3B prospect). If FW could make this trade, it could fill several needs, while not adding much payroll at all.
What do you think?
Hammy the Brave
P-Town Brave ©
October 17th, 2011
5:38 pm
DS1-
Is that REALLY what you want to go with?
The Braves have made 1 playoff appearance since those guys you mentioned left…
Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz won MANY games and arguably were as valuable as Chipper AND Andruw saved more games w/ his glove than his bat and was outstanding when he was a Brave….
Smoltz was the biggest postseason pitcher in Braves history…
AND to finish, Glavine won us a World Series….did you forget Game 6 of the 95 Series?!
So I really can’t see how you can argue Chipper having more value other than that he never left….
That just sounds like sour grapes…. (IMO)
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:39 pm
N8
Agreed, but those 3 ALL bolted in the end. And when the Braves didn’t offer arbitration to Maddux, their actual contract offered was for more money and years than he ended up getting from the Cubbies to go back to Chicago.
They ALL bolted eventually.
But you are right, they did a lot for the Braves too in the 90’s.
But not as much as Chipper did, IMHO.
N8
October 17th, 2011
5:40 pm
Maddux’s fastball only started topping out at around 88 very late in his career. As a Brave he was always around 89-92 with all that movement. With the Cubs he was 92-93.
I remember in 98 when he got the save in the playoff game against the Padres, I believe he hit 94 on the gun a couple of times. Dude could have thrown in the mid 90’s with that flawless motion and mechanics if he wanted to.
Just chose to go for the location and movement. I think it worked out alright for him.
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:42 pm
P-town
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Murph
October 17th, 2011
5:43 pm
JJ, Constanza, Diaz, and Ascencio for Jones, Andino, Mastuz, and Bell?
They might get Jones alone for that lot… maybe.
jim
October 17th, 2011
5:44 pm
Hammy,
If the Baltimore GM is that dumb, why not just throw Lowe in there too?
N8
October 17th, 2011
5:45 pm
Wayne, I think you have it backwards. The Braves ALLOWED Smoltz, Andruw and Maddux to leave because they felt what they had to offer wasn’t worth what they were asking for or were going to cost.
If it was even up for debate, they would have attempted to keep them around and work out a deal.
Chipper? He signed (and was offered his extension) after winning the batting title when it appeared he’d keep rolling for years to come.
For all purposes of this argument, the Braves are STUCK with him because of that extension and his 10/5 status.
If that extension he signed after winning the batting title was only a 2 year deal? You can bet your ass they’d be letting him “walk” this off-season. Likely with a very low-ball offer like Smoltz got, allowing him to stay if he chose. Then somebody would swoop in and up the ante and he would have had the REAL decision (like Smoltz) to make as his career wound down.
So lets get over the “he’s doing the Braves a favor” routine. He’ll have made about 60 million dollars on his last extension when all is said an done, all for about 20 million dollars worth of production. Whatever the Braves “owed” him for signing for cheaper earlier in his career, he’s getting paid it on this contract.
J.P.
October 17th, 2011
5:47 pm
As a Braves fan my hat goes off to the Cardinals. They wanted the wild card more, they got it & look where they are now.
cabravesfan
October 17th, 2011
5:47 pm
Touching story on Ernie Johnson and why he’s not covering baseball this postseason:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/story/2011-10-10/ernie-johnson-jr-son-pneumonia-muscular-dystrophy/50720984/1
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:51 pm
N8
Let’s not re-write history. Maddux turned down a better offer from the Braves than he eventually got from the Cubbies. Yes, the Braves let him walk. But he could have signed and done better.
Andruw: The Braves definitely let him walk. He fairly sucked his last couple of years before leaving. On Andruw, the Boras strategy worked better than it did with Maddux.
And Smoltz was given an excellent contract on his last Braves contract, and collected a LOT of money when he was on the shelf.
Chipper consistently stayed when he coulda gotten more. I’m guessing the Braves do not begrudge him the contract he is currently collecting on.
jim
October 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
Maddux signed with the Braves for less money than the Yankees offered because
1. His stats probably would not have been as glittering in the AL with the DH.
2. The cost of living in NY is higher, so the differential may not have been too great
3. The Braves in 92 looked more like the team of the 90s than the 92 Yanks — Jeter, Mariano, Petite, Posada, and O;Neill and Martinez came later as did Bernie becoming a superstar.
Murph
October 17th, 2011
5:53 pm
Did anyone else see the story about the Red Sox asking for Matt Garza in exchange for Theo?
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:55 pm
And one more thing: A pitcher is a much bigger risk in his late 30’s than a position player.
P-Town Brave ©
October 17th, 2011
5:55 pm
Murph-
I’d give them Garza for Theo….
That’d be easy…..a guy who might pitch .500 ball next year for the club, or a guy that could turn your franchise on its ear….
Seems like an easy decision if thats the case.
DS1
October 17th, 2011
5:57 pm
Gotta run folks. Nice “arguing” a bit today. But you all know that I am right, right?
Murph
October 17th, 2011
6:00 pm
PT, Garza was the Cubs’ best SP last year by almost 1.50 runs per… I know Theo can work magic, but he’d basically be starting from scratch with that rotation if they had to give up Garza in the deal.
David O'Brien
October 17th, 2011
6:05 pm
Are you sure that Jurjjens is so greatly undervalued now that he can’t be realistically traded, or is that conjecture? — Hammy the Brave
No, I’m not absolutely sure. Just my opinion, that’s all.
Murph
October 17th, 2011
6:06 pm
DOB, what’s your schedule like now? How often do you chat with team officials now that the team’s season is over? Is it pretty low-key until the Winter Meetings for you?
Snotboogie
October 17th, 2011
6:16 pm
Did anyone else see the story about the Red Sox asking for Matt Garza in exchange for Theo?
What the h….
Murph
October 17th, 2011
6:33 pm
It let out one final, raspy breath, closed its eyes, and the blog died. Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore…
richbrave
October 17th, 2011
6:36 pm
For those of you interested in the ‘ZONA league, SEAN GILMARTIN starts on the bump tonight in the late game [8:30 p.m. EST].
For those of you swallowing the BRAVES’ farm teams detractors, don’t bother.
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
6:46 pm
Did anyone else see the story about the Red Sox asking for Matt Garza in exchange for Theo?
I’d tell the Red Sox to cram it up their you know what if I were the Cubs. That’s lunacy.
TnBrian
October 17th, 2011
6:49 pm
Sign Pujols. Trade Lowe for Kemp. Then call it an offseason.
N8
October 17th, 2011
6:52 pm
“Maddux signed with the Braves for less money than the Yankees offered because
1. His stats probably would not have been as glittering in the AL with the DH.
2. The cost of living in NY is higher, so the differential may not have been too great
3. The Braves in 92 looked more like the team of the 90s than the 92 Yanks — Jeter, Mariano, Petite, Posada, and O;Neill and Martinez came later as did Bernie becoming a superstar.” jim
Yup. Yup and…. yup.
All three reasons for personal reasons that benefited Greg Maddux. Not because he was trying to do the Braves a favor and help out with payroll.
I’m not denying that Chipper stayed in Atlanta for less money than he could have gotten elsewhere. But my guess is that if he were to make a list citing reasons for staying at a discounted rate, “helping” the Braves out wasn’t really high on that list. He liked Bobby. He was still close to his parents. He had kids in Atlanta.
Many reasons. People trying to make him out as a hero for staying is just silly. Javier Vazquez probably wanted to stay too. Does that make Frank Wren the devil for trading him away?
The Braves survived Glavine leaving. They even survived Greg Maddux leaving. Ironically, they haven’t really “survived” smoltz leaving, though they did make the playoffs last year.
I suspect they’ll “survive” Chipper being gone too, provided they replace him with somebody that can play ball.
I just get really tired of the argument on both sides of the coin that players “owe” the fans or the team so much if they played hurt, or couldn’t perform while under a big contract, or that the team “owes” it to the player to repay them for settling for less money years ago, or out performing a small contract.
Hogwash. The MLB players union is the strongest union in the world. The team doesn’t owe the player anything provided the checks they write are able to be cashed, and as long as the owners are still able to sell tickets, merchandise and use players to “market” their team, they’re doing alright in the money side of things as well. These contracts are guaranteed and cannot be put into play unless both sides not only agree to terms, but sign on the dotted line.
Nobody owes anybody anything.
Chipper has every right to continue playing at 14 million per year, even if that’s way too much, and the Braves have every right to ask him if he’d like to be traded if an offer comes up. To which Chipper has earned the right to say no.
Then at the end of this contract, Wren (and the Braves), along with Chipper each have the right to do what’s best for their half of the equation.
Too many people confuse what the GM, the player and the organization “owe” to the fans as a measure of thank you for their support, to an actual monetary “owe” to each other come contract renewal time.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
6:52 pm
My bet would be Smoltz thought he had a better shot at the World Series with the Red Sox, so ……….
Murph
October 17th, 2011
6:55 pm
The MLB players union is the strongest union in the world.
If any teamsters are reading this… I don’t really know N8. Never met the guy. I in no way support his claims regarding union strength.
N8, if I were you, I’d get someone else to start your car for you tomorrow. Kaboom!
Jimmy Hoffa's Ghost
October 17th, 2011
7:02 pm
N8
October 17th, 2011
7:10 pm
LOL @ Murph. Thanks for the advice.
Charles
October 17th, 2011
7:17 pm
Great blog! But you probably cost Chipper at shot at a quick Hall of Fame ballot. The poor postseason record, plus this year’s epic collapse, will make Chipper damaged goods for a first or second ballot candidacy.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
7:30 pm
Great blog! But you probably cost Chipper at shot at a quick Hall of Fame ballot _ Charles
That’s some awesome power you’ve got there, DOB. Perhaps you should be more circumspect in the future. Poor Chipper
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
7:37 pm
So Dexter was not all that great last night, the season still has plenty off potential.
Homeland was very good. Shaping up to be a good show.
Looking forward to Shameless, I really enjoyed that show last year.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
7:46 pm
They film Homeland in the Charlotte, NC area. I wonder if scoots is in it and has been holding out on us.
Tomas
October 17th, 2011
7:47 pm
The Braves spent well on the draft. Think about this, no supplement picks, first pick was #28(out of 30 teams), and they outspent 6 teams. If they had picked first, they would have outspent more teams
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
7:53 pm
Careful Tomas, Efrim will hunt you down, and kill you, for that kind of talk.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
7:58 pm
So that bedroom scene last night with Brody and his wife……………… yikes
cabravesfan
October 17th, 2011
7:59 pm
No Homeland spoilers please!
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
8:04 pm
The Braves spent well on the draft. Think about this, no supplement picks, first pick was #28(out of 30 teams), and they outspent 6 teams. If they had picked first, they would have outspent more teams
They had the 7th overall selection in 2009 and spent more than 8 teams. They are always back third. Never really spend that much, regardless of position.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
8:07 pm
Sure cab __
When do you guys watch it?
cabravesfan
October 17th, 2011
8:13 pm
Bat-
When we get the chance to catch up. Just watched last week’s on Saturday. Have yesterday’s Tivo’d for future viewing
Couch Tater
October 17th, 2011
8:16 pm
Never really spend that much, regardless of position.
“It will go up.”
TnBrian
October 17th, 2011
8:17 pm
The AJC homepage has a wonderful photo of Nate in his best feminine voice telling Martin, “pshhhhh talk to the hand! I am soooo mad at you right now! That was my catch and you KNOW it Martin”!
Prado is like, “it my ball to catch and I mean nothing by it”
Heyward is all, “yo for real dudes, y’all actin’ crazy
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
8:18 pm
Cab_
Let me know after you watch it, if you don’t mind, so I can ask you a question. Not anything that would spoil anything for anyone else
cabravesfan
October 17th, 2011
8:24 pm
Bat-
It’s gonna be a while- VJ works late tonight and tomorrow…
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
8:26 pm
cab _
Anytime, it’ll keep
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
8:28 pm
Braves World Series rings on Pawn Stars? Damn it Otis
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:29 pm
wow, the idiot parade has been out in force on this posting DOB, did I actually see the adjective “versatile” used to describe Brooks Freaking Conrad?!!!!!!!!!!!! Did somebody actually compare JJ to Maddux because their collective fastball mph were similar?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF guys, seriously? Like the mention of the Murph for hitting coach, been long enough since we saw him regularly around the ballpark, he needs to be doing something in a Braves uni again:)
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:30 pm
Uh, Bat, Otis wasn’t on the ‘95 team dude
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
8:31 pm
BFS_
I never let facts get in the way of my jokes
nolie
October 17th, 2011
8:32 pm
hard to think of Murph as a hitting coach with that crappy swing he had
nolie
October 17th, 2011
8:33 pm
facts should never be allowed to get in the way of a good rant either. Blog rule #1
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
8:34 pm
Mike Newman wrote another piece over at Fangraphs.com about our system. This time about our pitching:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/atlanta-braves-pitching-prospects-world-series-contender/
ncscoots
October 17th, 2011
8:36 pm
They film Homeland in the Charlotte, NC area. I wonder if scoots is in it and has been holding out on us.
Had to turn them down. Building two Chippendale dressers, and just didn’t feel like working any harder than that.
They sulked a little, but seemed to be over it by the time they left.
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:36 pm
wasn’t necessarily sold on the Murph as hitting coach per se, just SOMETHING in a Braves uni
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:39 pm
maybe Dale Murphy, bench coach?
nolie
October 17th, 2011
8:43 pm
good article Efrim, thanx
David O'Brien
October 17th, 2011
8:44 pm
Mowing the lawn/mulching leaves just before dark tonight, and this came on my Ipod shuffle. It doesn’t get any better than early Van Morrison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae7Eix2s0zw&feature=related
Lemke's Knuckler
October 17th, 2011
8:47 pm
“The Braves trade Chipper and I’m done being a fan. That dude has done more for Atlanta Braves baseball then everyone not named Cox or Aaron.”
If you said that in ‘89 when they traded Dale Murphy, you would’ve missed out on 1991 and the great years after.
nolie
October 17th, 2011
8:49 pm
oh I imagine that most who were angered by Murph’s trade quickly came back to the fold when they saw the 91 season progressing so well
Lemke's Knuckler
October 17th, 2011
8:51 pm
“They film Homeland in the Charlotte, NC area”
Seriously, I’ll have to keep a look out for Claire Danes. She’s on my 10 list.
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:54 pm
I disagree guys, I think with the Murph on the club in ‘91 we woulda won the WS because we wouldn’t have needed Lonnie Smith and we wouldn’t have been there to make the running blunder that cost us the series:)
nolie
October 17th, 2011
8:54 pm
Person of Interest ???
BravesFanSince80's
October 17th, 2011
8:54 pm
he* not we, sorry
Lemke's Knuckler
October 17th, 2011
8:58 pm
BravesFan…you had it right with “we.” We were all there with Lonnie, screaming at him to f-ing run run run.
Bat Masterson
October 17th, 2011
9:00 pm
Haven’t seen it, nolie.
tiger297
October 17th, 2011
9:00 pm
nolie its too early for this discussion but I’m looking for a first tactical addition…debating a less conspicuous form factor vs. performance
Lemke's Knuckler
October 17th, 2011
9:01 pm
Damn you DirectTV teaser channel. You give me one episode of Homeland, I’m hooked and now you take it away and leave me with no choice but to pay for Showtime. I won’t do it, but I’m thinking about it hard. Good business model if you ask me, give a free taste, just like a drug dealer.
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
9:06 pm
No prob, nolie. I think scoots has said such things here. I still get heated that we don’t have enough bats in the system.
Although the lists aren’t that important, from all I’ve read the last month – the Braves clear Top 8 is: Teheran, Vizcaino, Delgado, Gilmartin, Salcedo, Bethancourt, Pastornicky and Simmons – not in that order, but those are their Top 8. I’d guess the last two spots will be between Lipka, Cunningham, Terdoslavich, Hoover, Spruill, etc.
nolie
October 17th, 2011
9:06 pm
We were all there with Lonnie, screaming at him to f-ing run run run….LK
I know I was
cabravesfan
October 17th, 2011
9:07 pm
nolie-
really liking it so far
nolie
October 17th, 2011
9:08 pm
yeah i think scoots and i have talked about that thought
N8
October 17th, 2011
9:09 pm
Your iPod shuffle links you to youtube clips? Damn. I need an upgrade.
nolie
October 17th, 2011
9:09 pm
me too cab
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
9:11 pm
yeah i think scoots and i have talked about that thought
Yes, you too. And I try to irrationally battle you both on it.
nolie
October 17th, 2011
9:13 pm
well it would be even nicer to have some great hitting prospects too
N8
October 17th, 2011
9:14 pm
Lonnie smith had 3 HR and an OPS of .910 in the 91 WS.
I think it’s safe to say that without Lonnie Smith there might not have been a game 7 for his blunder to ever occur in.
Besides. With Murphy on the roster that would have likely meant no Otis Nixon, whom Lonnie was replacing due to Otis sniffing too many baselines on his way to 1B.
No Otis Nixon in 1991? Probably no post-season for that club.
Nobody likes Dale Murphy more than I do/did. There was no place for him on the 91 team. None. I suppose he could have taken the roster spot that Jerry Willard occupied. But then again, Jerry Willard did something in that WS that most Braves this year failed to do.
He knocked in a gamewinning run from 3B with less than two outs.
Efrim
October 17th, 2011
9:17 pm
And I suppose it’s possible that Salcedo won’t crack the Top 10, however he really just had a bad last six weeks.
MiaBchNOTBravesFan
October 17th, 2011
9:20 pm
The HUGE elephant in the room that no one is talking about with any degree of clarity is the morrass that is the Atlanta Braves since Frank Wren took over. Poor signings, poor trades, very poor personnel estimations, and a very poor coaching selection (possibly two, as the jury is still out on Fredi Gonzalez), has seen the Braves fall from the upper tier of baseball teams.
What is more confounding than the signings of Lowe and KK, or the trade for Nate McLouth, has been the institutional ignorance in hitting assessment that has plagued this organization for over two decades. Take away Chipper and Andruw Jones and, to a lesser extent, Javy Lopez and Brian McCann, and what would the organizational picture be as it relates to hitting development out on our farm?
There is no decent word to describe such depravity.
The reason why our 2011 hitting coach was summarily fired two days after the season is the same reason, albeit darker, that sinister forces in the Boston front office chose to trash the otherwise unimpeachable legacy of Terry Francona after both sides parted ways: suddenly, the Boston front office, with all its money, did not know how to put a team together, and they decided to blame a fall guy in Francona.
In the Braves’ case, Parrish was made out to be the fall guy not only because he was the wrong guy for the job from day one, but because the front office does not know thing one about hitting, hitter development, or its evaluation. Until the highest reaches of management concedes this fact and either finds an “assistant” to protect Wren from himself – or fires Wren altogether – the Braves just may go another two decades of cellar-dwelling positional player development.
nolie
October 17th, 2011
9:21 pm
It would be really nice if Salcedo would show us something for an entire season pretty soon