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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,219 comments Add your comment
IVAN ...
November 5th, 2011
10:54 am
How bout ya Lew? ……..
And to nolie.. You doin better?
Watched FSU in their Thurs. night thrashing of BC….. Like I said , yall have turned it around, looking good. Hope you beat the “gayturs” also.
Lew
November 5th, 2011
10:57 am
Hey IVAN – How’s are things?
Mako
November 5th, 2011
10:57 am
AI Chichiuahua….no Prado………………..pleeze no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
IVAN ...
November 5th, 2011
10:58 am
Lew, I agree with you on Prado.. Last year he stayed healthy until the end of the season. I think the Staph infection and pressure he put on himself cost him in average. Still think he’s a natural 2nd baseman, but what do you do with Uggla? He isn’t going anywhere for a while.
Mako
November 5th, 2011
10:59 am
Dump Chumper & Ugly..er..I mean Ugglia……plenty of money then …si
Lew
November 5th, 2011
11:00 am
IVAN – I didn’t think he was that bad in LF, all things considered and I think he’ll come back fine.
Jurrjens can be replaced – Martin? Yeah, him too, but it will take two players.
Travis
November 5th, 2011
11:01 am
Too many tv watchers in the Atlanta market…This trend started with Ted Turner and channel 7. It made fans out of people from all over the country. One of Braves biggest fans lives in Vermont and can’t be at the games but supports the team whenever he can. Sometime not having a local tv station be your access to the team you support means having to go to the ballpark just to see em. Not the case in Atlanta…Never will be.
Lew
November 5th, 2011
11:02 am
Mako – They can’t just dump Chipper – First, he’s a 10/5 player and can veto any trade and further, they will still owe him his entire salary if they let him go – which would result in him playing for another team with us footing the bill for the Dude who ranked pretty close to the top in 3B production last year.
Travis
November 5th, 2011
11:04 am
Atlanta market is really spread out too. Metro Atlanta is huge and congested…Takes me 45 min to an hour to get there a sometimes longer going home. Can’t do it every night.
IVAN ...
November 5th, 2011
11:04 am
Lew–
Doing ok, beensick with a nagging chest/head cold for a week…
Need to get on roof today and clean out chimney to wood stove but don,t feel like it…
Also would be good day to go bass fishing, high to be 60 …
People think when you live on the lake you stay on the lake.UNTRUE.
There is always something to do, Monday comes quick.. Probably watch Vandy/Fla. game , listen to UGA on radio vs New Mexico State the catch S. C. / Arkansas and Bama /Lsu later…….
Yeah, think I talked myself out of getting on the roof…
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
11:05 am
Seems to me Wren is selling short on Jurrjens and Prado. Where’s Prado’s downside right now? I’d think Prado’s value is up as a Brave because of the need to spell Chipper at third – and with more than just a bench player.
Jurrjens, healthy, is an ace on most staffs. Yes, Jurrjens needs to stay healthy, but if Wren’s estimation of Jurrjens is that he’s more downside than value as a Brave, try dealing him solo.
TnBrian
November 5th, 2011
11:07 am
Mako, oh hush. Like Chipper and Uggla are what is wrong with the team. Not even close. A vetran leader who can still play this game better than most and a guy who hustles non stop and belts 30 plus homers a year ain’t our problem. Not even close.
TnBrian
November 5th, 2011
11:11 am
Anybody else feel that now Prado has been in some trade talks that they’ll certainly deal him now. He probably isn’t as ease at this time and I wouldn’t think they’d want all this hanging over his head going into a new season as a Brave. JJ I felt would be traded anyways because of the obvious. Prado I am pretty shocked by all this.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:13 am
I think the fact that KC nixed the trade says that JJ has less trade value under the current circumstances than Olney seems to think.
bobbymahlon
November 5th, 2011
11:14 am
Too many of you people like to kick a guy when he is down. Guys like Ward saying Prado is nothing but a average player forget that he was the All Star second baseman in 2010 and than was asked to play left field last year. Before he came back from the staph infection he said it would take some time to get back to where he should be and he never got back to where he was the three previous years where he batted .320,.302 and .302.
Give the guy a break and we might be glad that one of the best trades is one that we didn’t make.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:24 am
yes, there is a vocal contingent of the blog that seems to believe that once a guy has a poor season that he is worthless forever more.
Random
November 5th, 2011
11:24 am
@wjones
AGonzalez is a free agent — Braves would not need to offer him arbitration, simply negotiate a mutually acceptable contract.
I’d guess 2 years for $3-4M total. That’s got my vote.
Brava
November 5th, 2011
11:29 am
Just getting back from an extended vacation from the blog. Needed time to clear my head from the constant bickering. Glad to say that after several weeks, my headache has finally gone away.
While I’m not opposed to Wren dangling JJ out there to see what offers he might garner, it would seem to me he’d do better to hang on to him until mid-season and let his value rise again. It’s not going to hurt one of our up and coming SPs to spend another half season at AAA and we all know, based on past performance, the chances of JJ having an awesome first half of the season are great and that helps us. I just don’t see the need to move him right now when his value can be questioned.
As for Martin, I love the guy and really would hate to see him go, but a part of me wants him to have the opportunity to play his best position, 2B, as an everyday starter and that’s not going to happen here in Atlanta. He clearly doesn’t have the power the Braves need out of LF and while it would be great to hang on to him as a super-sub, he’d be expensive and it would be less than fair to him in his continued professional development. As with JJ, his injury plagued season has left questions as to his value, but since he suffered a staph infection versus a physical injury to a body part, I would think most potential buyers would be less likely to balk.
All that said, I’d be happy if both of them were still with the Braves on opening day.
Ozzie
November 5th, 2011
11:29 am
JJ and Prado are on the block b/c the org face planted and they have no budget room to rectify things. That plus attendance was down in 2011 reducing ticket revenue. So even though the team was in the WC lead for much of the season fans didn’t show up.
Now I cannot blame fans who stay away b/c this team has let things slip away in dozen different ways over the past 15 years. Fair or not all those division flags have numbed the fan base. I am talking about regularly paying fans, those who buy season tickets or go every chance they get, versus die hard fans who live in AL or KY, etc blog a ton but cannot attend more than 2-3 games a season if any.
Those latter fans will defend almost anything this org does and view everyone who wants more as whiners. They have the resolve & patience b/c they are fans from a distance usually in rival team’s territory.
In any case, without a private owner all you have is dollars n’ sense data when it comes to making decisions. There is no emotion, no drive to win it all at any cost. Local fans want passion more so than fans at a distance (in many cases).
This is the reality of this team. They will have to use Visa to pay Mastercard so to speak to “get by” and rarely will make all the moves needed to make a serious run.
People who want more than that shouldn’t be chastised so vigorously by those fans who feel they know better or have embraced the Braves reality.
The minute everyone says “get um next year”, “we are close” or “don’t say anything negative about the owners” is the time when this franchise is finished in ATL IMHO.
I say that b/c it will mean total apathy and apathetic fans don’t show up, don’t buy merchandise and that is when teams are moved to another city.
Treating each other on here and other blogs like garbage, worse that rival team fans, is just sad for all of us.
Crazy ideas or positions happen especially when people are supremely frustrated. We can disagree on plenty of things but I think most would agree the Braves Nation is pretty darn frustrated after this season and the past 10 plus years.
Toss in a crappy economy where for some their only ray of sunshine is their ballclub doing well and you get the cocktail we are witnessing day in and day out on Braves blogs.
Roja
November 5th, 2011
11:29 am
Maybe KC would give us Melky and Frenchy for Jurrjens?? Then we could keep Prado as our “super-sub”. After all, Melky batted .305 with 18 dingers and 87 rbi’s in 2011 whule Frenchy batted .285 with 20 dingers and 87 rbi’s in 2011. Much better than Prado’s .260 and 13 hrs and Heyward’s .227 and 14 hrs
Efrim
November 5th, 2011
11:30 am
I think Cain plus one or two more prospects is fair for Jurrjens based on what his current value is. I’m just not sure that’s worth it for Wren. I hope he continues to shop him around to team that need pitching. Texas, LAA, Kansas City, New York, Boston in the AL. Perhaps Colorado in the NL.
Brava
November 5th, 2011
11:31 am
Hi, nolie. Glad to see you back, you old grumpy fart.
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
11:31 am
nolie, all things considered, for an injury season, Prado wasn’t horrible by any stretch. And, really, some write on the blog like it’s a given that Chipper’s going to give the team 120 solid starts. He might, but at 40 with bum knees, there’s really no certainty. In any event, there’s still 42 games that the Braves would need solid play from whoever starts at third in Chipper’s place. I would think Wren would want a strong contingency. Prado would be my man.
Why not
November 5th, 2011
11:32 am
why would they not need to offer? other teams have to offer their free agents don’t they?
Isn’t that where compensation comes from?
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
11:35 am
I hope Wren continues to shop Jurrjens around, too, rather than pull the trigger to quickly. Maybe I’m wrong, but KC and Pittsburgh seem to be Wren’s go-to teams on wanting to make deals.
I just hope Wren hasn’t managed to set the bar low for a return on Jurrjens and/or Prado.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:35 am
Moi? Old and grumpy? You must be mistaking me for someone else Brava……..
Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
November 5th, 2011
11:36 am
Outfielders are by far the easiest position players to replace, while quality starting pitching is the most valuable commodity any team can have.
That said, Wren was forced to trade Derek Lowe and eat 10 million. He also ate all 7.66 million of Kenshin Kawakami’s contract this year. Not to mention paying Nate McLouth a total of 8.25 million to flop and then go away.
Simply put, Wren has done an absolutely fantastic job of stocking talent in the minors. While also stock piling young pitching of which Jurrjens at just age 25 is a part of. However, Frank Wren has also done a horrific job of managing his payroll by overpaying for free agents, trading for bloated contracts and wasting millions which could have been better spent elsewhere.
Frank Wren’s a smart baseball guy but his payroll acumen is a disaster. The Braves would be better served by allowing Wren some help in the accounting department.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:38 am
ain’t buying that coach
Brava
November 5th, 2011
11:39 am
Just kidding with you, nolie. I’m really glad you came through all your medical issues okay and hope you’ll be feeling 100% soon. Really good to have you back.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:39 am
I figgered that Brava
Roja
November 5th, 2011
11:42 am
A lot of the problem around Atlanta isn’t the team – it’s the fans. The Cubbies haven’t even SEEN the inside of a baseball stadium during a World Series since 1945!! That is before most of their fans were even BORN. Yet they sell out every home game and their fans that show up at Turner Field are more vocal and more hyped up about the team than Braves fans are. Whether they win 60 games or 90 games, the fans back them 100% 162 games a year. They may biatch and moan on the radio talk shows, but come game day……….. they are there cheering their hearts out for the home team (or in Atlanta… for the AWAY team.
Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
November 5th, 2011
11:43 am
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:38 am
ain’t buying that coach
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That’s because you’re broke
IVAN ...
November 5th, 2011
11:44 am
nolie………….
how you makin it today?
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:47 am
getting a bit stronger each day Ivan. Thanks for asking.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
11:48 am
off for a nap. y’all take care
Random
November 5th, 2011
11:50 am
Patrick (November 5th, 2011 9:29 am): “After I have had the night to think about Wren willingness to deal away two of the Braves fans favorite players and most productive players over the past few seasons….
“I really have to ask to anyone that can give me a sincere answer.
“What sense does it make to trade Jurrjens and/or Prado after coming off an epic nightmare of a season where all Wren should be doing is concentrated on making the fan base happy to keep them around??
“What I can gather so far is: the Braves are coming off the worst choke job in franchise history and one of the worst in NL history. And his response to it is!…Let’s trade away two of our most popular players for prospects (which is a gamble when you trade proven talent for unproven). And also allow the media to summize that the Braves are trying to dump payroll and shed salary because they can’t even keep the arbitration eligible players.
“That’s not exactly a great way to restore faith in a pissed off fan base.
“Am I interpreting this wrong?”
Yes. Yes, you are.
Wren’s primary job is not “making the fan base happy”. It is putting together a team to win the World Series.
I would guess that the principal yardstick for measuring fanbase “happiness” would be attendance (secondary would i imagine be merchandise sales).
That said, the Cubs fanbase must be one of the “happiest” in MLB. Would you want the Braves to follow the Cubs’ model?
No, Wren’s job is to put together a winning team, not to coddle (sometimes fleetingly) popular players in order to keep the fans “happy”.
Sincerely.
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
11:52 am
“Frank Wren has also done a horrific job of managing his payroll by overpaying for free agents, trading for bloated contracts and wasting millions which could have been better spent elsewhere.”
– Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
There’s a good deal of hindsight in the statement. Was Lowe worth $15 million per season? I wouldn’t have paid it, but the Braves wanted to stay competitive while Wren restocked the farm system. McLouth – his numbers were good coming to Atlanta and his contract remainder wasn’t long. McLouth cratered and the Braves got stuck with a big tab. Unfortunate. Kawakami – yes, here I think Wren misjudged entirely.
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:03 pm
There’s a good deal of hindsight in the statement. Was Lowe worth $15 million per season? I wouldn’t have paid it
Well, look back to the circumstances at the time. We were also bidding aggressively for Burnett, and everyone at the time agreed that we needed to do something about our precarious pitching situation at the time. And Burnett hasn’t worked out well either. It’s just one of those things–Wren got stuck with a pretty crappy situation and had to make a somewhat suspect move to bridge the gap. He didn’t do a thing wrong in my book.
The Kawakami move was in the same vein, but a little less justifiable. I still don’t have much of a problem with it, again considering what was happening at the time, but it was a much riskier move.
Ozzie
November 5th, 2011
12:05 pm
RE: The Cubs you answered your own question. They have never won anything of note. Sometimes it is easier to support a perennial underdog or loveable loser than it is to taste victory only to see it be taken away.
The fans in ATL had the fortune and the misfortune of winning 14 division titles.
Every team has a bar and unfortunately the bar in ATL is much higher than with clubs that have never won anything.
I am not saying any one party is right or wrong what I am saying is the Braves are in a purgatory of sorts and have been for a long time.
That effects everyone and it is supremely frustrating.
Peter
November 5th, 2011
12:10 pm
If we trade Jurrjens or Prado, it better be for a young power hitting corner OF or 3B, are weakest positions in the system. I don’t want to try and get a CF right now, because we have at least a chance at resigning Bourn, and we have Lipka in the system as a potential replacement. SS in the system right now is stacked.
Random
November 5th, 2011
12:14 pm
Why not (November 5th, 2011 11:32 am): “why would they not need to offer? other teams have to offer their free agents don’t they?
“Isn’t that where compensation comes from?”
Typically, teams offer arbitration to their own free agents only when they do NOT intend to re-sign them, but want the compensation draft picks.
(Of course, that sometimes backfires — Maddux, Soriano, ia).
If the Braves wanted to re-sign AGonzalez, they would simply re-sign him — they would not need to offer arbitration.
(Teams DO have to offer arbitration to their own arbitration-eligible players that are still under contract if they want to keep them. Either that, or release them, if they cannot agree on a salary.)
Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
November 5th, 2011
12:20 pm
No hindsight here, more like foresight on my part.
The moment Derek Lowe was anointed as the “ACE” of the Braves pitching staff I threw up and threw Frank Wren under the bus. Derek Lowe was never going to be the number one start and I knew as much right from the word go. Guys like Jon Garland and Randy Wolf were part of the very same free agent market. Both were far more affordable and again, I have a long memory.
People forget that Wren was dealing with the fallout from parting ways with John Smoltz (which was the right move) and had to make a splash in the free agent market. So there were reasons motivating Frank Wren beyond just the proverbial “building the competitive baseball team”.
Patrick
November 5th, 2011
12:20 pm
Yeah, about Lowe…consider that Towers toyed with the Braves for a few weeks on the Peavy trade that never happened (and looking back, thankfully-the trade the mostly every braves fan wanted to happen didn’t-it turned out to be a great move cause Peavy is severly damaged goods)
Then is was Burnett who has been no better than Lowe
and the only other real option besides Lowe was Oliver Perez and I’m sure any Mets fan will tell you that was a disasterous signing
Everyone applauded the braves for the lowe signing at the time, stating that he was durable, not a #1 but solid and exactly what they needed in the rotation. Also, I remember some “experts” stating the he’d be the best bet of the 3 to keep being productive since he was a sinkerball pitcher and as he aged his slower mph would actually benefit him. Of course, they couldn’t have been more wrong cause he is god awful, but that’s what was said at the time of the signing
katherine
November 5th, 2011
12:22 pm
i think if the team wants to sell tickets for next season, they need to change things up. “come see the exact braves team that let their huge wild card lead slip away as they sucked it up after the allstar break” will not sell. They are smart for trying to get some new blood in town IMO
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:23 pm
Guys like Jon Garland and Randy Wolf were part of the very same free agent market. Both were far more affordable and again, I have a long memory.
More affordable? Yes. As good an option as Lowe or Burnett at the time? No.
Efrim
November 5th, 2011
12:31 pm
Sounds like the Giants are willing to part with Jonathan Sanchez since they have a surplus of starters like us(Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Vogelsong, Surkamp, Zito). It would probably be best if Dayton waited it all out to see what options open up since there are other free agent options too: Edwin Jackson, Erik Bedard, etc.
Random
November 5th, 2011
12:32 pm
PS: Of course, if the Braves did not want to or thought that they might could not re-sign him, especially if AGonzalez insisted on testing the open market, the Braves would probably certainly offer himarbitration. He currently tracks as a Type B.
(And then they might not, if they definitely did not want to re-sign him, so as to avoid the Maddux/Soriano type problem.)
Coach (2011 Fredi G. FAILED)
November 5th, 2011
12:32 pm
Randy Wolf record from 2009-2011:
37-29 3.70 ERA and has was paid 23 million compared to the 40 million paid to Derek Lowe, of which Frank Wren will be eating 10 million of next season.
Jon Garland : 26-30 record with an ERA of 3.81 while making 15.3 million from 2009-2011.
More affordable? Yes. As good an option as Lowe or Burnett at the time? ABSOLUTELY YES and I got a steel trap atop my shoulders
.
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
12:33 pm
Steve from OH… 12:03 pm post. Understand what Wren was trying to accomplish by signing Lowe and Kawakami. The other alternative at the time was not signing them and go into full-blown rebuilding mode. The Braves really didn’t care for the latter (if they even considered it).
While I don’t think Lowe ever pitched like a $15 million pitcher, his first two seasons were close to his norms, and he did play a critical role in getting the Braves into the playoffs last season.
Kawakami… I thought he was hyped from the get-go. Another “Greg Maddux” billing should have been a red flag alone. Maybe Greg Maddux if Maddux had never risen above low AA.
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:34 pm
More affordable? Yes. As good an option as Lowe or Burnett at the time? ABSOLUTELY YES and I got a steel trap atop my shoulders
Hindsight is 20/20, cat. But be careful not to pull anything patting yourself on the back regardless.
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:36 pm
Jeff–yeah, Kawakami was a real gamble, and one that didn’t pay off. Stuff happens sometimes.
Regardless, Lowe, McLouth, and KK are all gone and we’re really no worse for the wear.
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:37 pm
Efrim–saw your message last night. Doin pretty well, though I’ve been pulling about 100 hrs a week which can be pretty crazy!
Speaking of crazy, how’s all your stuff going. Hope you’re not stressing too much…
Peter
November 5th, 2011
12:41 pm
Question: Anyone else notice that since Wren took over as GM these trade rumors have been more out in the open to the public? If memory serves me correctly, under Schuerholz we virtually never heard any rumors about any trades until they actually happened. Not saying it is good or bad, just an observation I have made. Of course I could also be completely wrong on this.
jeffrey d
November 5th, 2011
12:42 pm
Randy Wolf record from 2009-2011:
I thought you said you weren’t using hindsight? Wolf finished the 2008 season 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA with the Padres. Lowe was 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA in 2008.
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
12:42 pm
Steve from OH… Moving forward I’d rather see Wren be little more conservative in giving long term deals. Should be interesting to see what Wren does if he moves Prado and Jurrjens in terms of the free agent market.
HomeofdaBrave
November 5th, 2011
12:43 pm
The more I think about trading JJ, the more I think it will end up doing far more harm to the Braves than good. You can’t go into the season with 4/5 of your rotation consisting of a pitcher with shoulder problems and three unproven youngsters and expect to do big things. They need to give it one more year before deciding to trade Jurrjens or not. That would give the rookies more time to mature and by then, they should know how Hanson’s shoulder is holding up.
I don’t want Prado traded either, but if they can a legit power-hitting LFer, that could be a good move.
jeffrey d
November 5th, 2011
12:43 pm
No wait…Wolf started the season with the Padres. Finished with the Astros
Steve from OH
November 5th, 2011
12:45 pm
Steve from OH… Moving forward I’d rather see Wren be little more conservative in giving long term deals.
Without a doubt, and I would too. I think the FA market has been a weak point for him, but he hasn’t hamstrung the club with a Soriano-type deal or a Carlos Lee-type deal either. That’s why I’m not all that bothered by the Lowe deal: it hasn’t hamstrung us to the point that we can’t build a competitive team around it. Not the best deal ever made, but one that was pretty necessary at the time and one that is already in the rearview mirror without any loss to the competitiveness of the club in the meantime.
Jeff R
November 5th, 2011
12:49 pm
Steve from OH… I’m please that Wren got Cleveland to eat $5 million on what’s left on Lowe’s contract. Frankly, I hope Chipper opts to retire after next season. That’s, what, $24 million off the Braves’ books (including the Lowe contract expiration).
David O'Brien
November 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
Saw Royals OF prospect Wil Myers out in AFL, and he’s pretty special. I don’t see the Royals parting with him, since he’s so young (21 next month) and they covet their good young, affordable talent. They’d trade Lorenzo Cain, the former Brewers prospect who played at Triple-A at age 25 this past season (he’ll be 26 in April).
I’d certainly not trade Jurrjens or Prado for Cain alone, no way. But don’t dismiss Cain just because of age. He profiles a bit unusual, in that he had the kind of year last season in Triple-A — .312/.380/.497, with career highs of 16 HRs and 81 RBIs in 128 games; might just be getting his “main strength” — that everyone thought he was capable of, and he’s also played well in his limited major league chances (.302 w/ .343 OBP, 15 extra-base hits and seven steals in 49 games (181 PAs). And he can play all the OF spots, with CF his primary position.
If Braves could work some deal that brings him, it’d be a solid pickup. With Michael Bourn eligible for free agency after 2012 season, seems a very good chance the Braves will need to find a major league CF between now and then.
Juan
November 5th, 2011
1:02 pm
Pete:Anyone else notice that since Wren took over as GM these trade rumors have been more out in the open to the public?
You are correct , the different is the New Tech…Wren use Cell Phone (text,twitty, etc) Schuerholz was using Land line to make deals.
The new tech is not always safe & secure.
VaBravesFan
November 5th, 2011
1:03 pm
Well I’m a total idiot. I got my girlfriend a promise ring from zales this morning for christmas. I went to text her sister about it and accidently sent it to my girl…Of course she read it, so now its totally ruined. Hopefully the Braves do something to lift my spirits.
Juan
November 5th, 2011
1:06 pm
VaBravesFan
You got my point…you should uses the land line to call her sis…
VaBravesFan
November 5th, 2011
1:08 pm
Juan
I was so excited I rushed when texting and didnt realize i sent it to wrong person.. Oh well. She’s happy, thats all that matters to me.
Juan
November 5th, 2011
1:10 pm
VaBravesFan
Anyway…congrat… evryone is happy…Xmas on Nov
don
November 5th, 2011
1:31 pm
If Wren didn’t overpay for some of these duds (like Lowe) and if Chipper retired, as he certainly should, the Braves would be fine financially and wouldn’t have to look to trade Prado. The4y need Prado far more than they need a hanger-on like Jones.
Random
November 5th, 2011
1:31 pm
Jeff R (November 5th, 2011 12:49 pm): “Frankly, I hope Chipper opts to retire after next season.”
Regardless of his 2012 performance?
That seems odd.
Patrick
November 5th, 2011
1:36 pm
Chipper is still one of the best hitters on the team. He was certainly better than prado last season
McFann O O o Get Well Soon, Nolie!!
November 5th, 2011
2:00 pm
VaBravesFan—
Aw, that’s too bad! At least she likes it, though…
nelson
November 5th, 2011
2:01 pm
trade jurrjens and prado for another LF and 3 minor league players ….. out chipper , out gonzales ,, sign another ss jose reyes and a new 3r baseman , maybe by a trade .. oh yeah and sign c.j.wilson
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:06 pm
well, Chipper’s not going anywhere and the Braves are not going to sign Reyes or Wilson…sorry.
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:15 pm
Did I scare everyone away?
Juan
November 5th, 2011
2:17 pm
cabravesfan ….It’s Saturday, football time & shopping
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:23 pm
Juan-
That’s what the internet and the TV are for
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:24 pm
Besides, my boys already played…
Got VJ’s boys on the computer right now
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:27 pm
Jonathan Grimes is going to be a late round draft pick and going to make some NFL GM look like a total genius. Kid is seriously good
Bat Masterson
November 5th, 2011
2:29 pm
It looks like the Dawgs are taking full advantage of their scrimmage this afternoon.
O-me
November 5th, 2011
2:31 pm
Agree DOB about Cain…hope we get him at right price.
On Prado, there are 5 or 6 teams that need a good 2nd baseman. Prado was a All-Star 2B. He should bring a good return from one of those teams.
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
2:34 pm
Grimes has 182 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. It’s still the 3rd quarter.
who turn the dogs loose
November 5th, 2011
2:37 pm
Hope UGA paid NM well because they beat the he!! out’em so far….
ROLLTIDEBRAVE
November 5th, 2011
2:47 pm
ROOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!! Beat LSwho tonight! 6 more straights wins for BAMA to earn their 14th National Championship in school history! Also, Go braves!
O-me
November 5th, 2011
2:54 pm
Roll Tide tonite..@2;47 agree
Foghorn J. Leghorn
November 5th, 2011
3:08 pm
I say…I say we need to beg…beg I say ..Chipper to retire. He’s unable, unable I say to play no more than 115 games now. He’s aching and moaning…moaning I say…and can’t run at all. I mean some of them their chicken hawk pitchers, will throw the ball low and inside just to make him hit a nibbler and watch ole aches and pains try….try I say…to run it out. That’s mean…i say that’s just flat out mean of them their chicken hawk pitchers. It’s time for the big rooster to hang it up and hang out Hooter’s with all them young chicks. I say….
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
3:11 pm
Good ending to Michigan/Iowa
Michigan down 8 with 2 seconds left on Iowa 3
cabravesfan
November 5th, 2011
3:12 pm
And Iowa pulls upset- some good goal line D…
Lap Dog Earl
November 5th, 2011
3:49 pm
Why not trade Prado for Francoeur ?
Lap Dog Earl
November 5th, 2011
3:53 pm
Jurrgens would be the Royals ace. Braves better get a great hitter for our great pitcher. Cain doesn’t seem much better than Heyward. Heyward was dynamite in minors too. You are taking a chance with Cain.
Lap Dog Earl
November 5th, 2011
3:54 pm
There’s 25 other teams to trade with other than the Royals… Branch out Wren…
Erik
November 5th, 2011
4:13 pm
KK’s contract off the books this year, too.
Packer Ed
November 5th, 2011
4:14 pm
If Liberty Media and Time Warner did not own the Braves and if the Braves were more than a tax deduction for an owner we would not be even discussing this because Mr. Frank Wren would be long gone with Fredi Gonzalez.
David O'Brien
November 5th, 2011
4:16 pm
So far, Braves aren’t among 10 or so teams that have called to express interest in Willingham, an Alabama native (Florence) who’s made it known he’d like to play for ATL. If all things were equal in terms of offers, he’s told people he’d pick Braves. But that’s a big if — first they’d have to have interest, then match the offers he’ll get from other teams. He wants three years; don’t know if he’ll get it, but besides Pujols he’s one of the only RH power hitters available on free-agent market.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
4:31 pm
more likely a trade than a big free agent signing IMO
Joe
November 5th, 2011
4:31 pm
I am all for the braves trading Jurrjens. He is a #1 starter, but with boras being his agent and the guys we have ready, it is a no brainer to get a top hitting prospect for him. He is still young at 25 and has two years left before he is a free agent. I think I would demand a Myers type prospect for him. If we didn’t get a great prospect or young hitter I would just keep him.
We need to find a lf or 3b for when Chipper retires. I have no problem signing Gonzalez to a 2 year deal until one of the young guys is ready at short. I know it is not going to happen but why do I get the feeling that with all the salary we are getting rid of with Lowe and maybe a Prado and Jurrjens that they are trying to make a run at Reyes?
nolie
November 5th, 2011
4:32 pm
Cain from PCL. great hitters league. might do ok, might not
nolie
November 5th, 2011
4:33 pm
Seriously doubt they are going after a big name SS when they like two they have one of whom is pretty close
CB
November 5th, 2011
4:42 pm
I know some would like Willigham, but if we are making moves I would prefer a younger OF. Trades is the best way to go this year.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
4:44 pm
Willinghan can hit, but three guaranteed years is too many IMO
Ernest
November 5th, 2011
4:46 pm
Any word of if the Braves are considering Bourn for a multi-year deal? It would be nice to commit to him since there are no centerfield prospects in the pipeline.
nolie
November 5th, 2011
4:49 pm
I might be wrong but there seems to be less talk right now about extending Bourn. His numbers came down a noticeable bit in Atlanta. I certainly would not pay over 10mil per at the very most.
Keylargo
November 5th, 2011
4:52 pm
Hope UGA paid NM well because they beat the he!! out’em so far…………
I read they were paid $925,000 to visit Athens.