On the new uni(?), attendance, and top 20 movies

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4,462 comments Add your comment

Ozzie

January 25th, 2012
10:06 pm

Why is it every time they wheel out McGuirk to talk about payroll you reach for the Crown Royal and a beer mug. Lock in a 25 year TV contract (not to their benefit) and then sell (really transfer) the team to Liberty. Nice.

Also interesting how AJC.com didn’t put a reader comment blog beneath that atrocity. I would guess he said if they did no interview.

Let me guess Selig was cool with all that. The Braves went from having the top 3 payroll, private owner and their own mouth piece station in TBS (before it was fashionable) to a crappy 25 yr contract and a payroll designed for corporate margin management versus WS rings.

Learning all this on a free blog – priceless.

I hope Malone loses big at the track and needs to sell this club and soon.

Good lord.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
10:07 pm

skip work Sopheeeeeeee

Efrim

January 25th, 2012
10:07 pm

nolie, I agree. I just think we’re a bit higher than 15. But again, it’s printed in late-December and some trades would push a couple teams back like Washington and Cincy.

Sopheee

January 25th, 2012
10:09 pm

I probably would play hooky if I’d never met him before but I got his autograph and a few pics with him during the 2010 season so I’ll pass this time. If anyone goes, take some good pics for me!

nolie

January 25th, 2012
10:10 pm

maybe so Efrim, 12-18 is middle of the pack and prolly close enough for the most part for each to have their own opinion.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
10:12 pm

Marteen will be broke-hearted to find that you ain’t thar luv…..

Tired Story

January 25th, 2012
10:27 pm

The more I read comments by Terry McGuirk and Wren, the more I realize that this team is gonna suck and Wren and McGuirk are on a campaign to tell the fans that ” we have potential but we are likely gonna suck … so what? Get over it!”

Actually, for the first time in nearly 50 years I may in fact “get over” the Braves. Just tired of the excuses.

David O'Brien

January 25th, 2012
10:33 pm

Ozzie, there are quite a few factual errors and gaps in your timeline in that 10:06 p.m. comment. Oh, well. No worries.

Oh, and there’s no comment place below because it’s a news story by Tim Tucker, not a blog.

Blog Monitor

January 25th, 2012
10:33 pm

What kind of mental giant would have negotiated and signed a 25 year TV deal?

That is just beyond comprehension…

David O'Brien

January 25th, 2012
10:35 pm

I know that Salcedo is still young but he really needs to step forward and start getting it done for a coupla full seasons – nolie

Agreed, this is a big year for Salcedo. Played enough pro ball now, needs to start developing into the player everyone has predicted.

David O'Brien

January 25th, 2012
10:37 pm

richbrave: Nolte isn’t the star — the stars are the two MMA fighting brothers, his sons. But Nolte is terrific as the broken down, recovering-alcoholic father estranged from both sons.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
10:37 pm

that is prolly the smart thing to do Tired. why wrack your emotions over an unhappy involvement with an unsatisfactory team. Finding another that makes you happier makes perfect sense..no sarcasm intended

MitchC

January 25th, 2012
10:44 pm

Dave, essentially, the Braves have only 84 million to spend on player salary this year, as we have to count the $10 mil owed to Lowe in the trade.

The interview done with Terry Mcgurik sounded like a lot of excuses. From your comments, Dave, it almost sounded like you were surprised that the Braves did as well as they did last year, instead of criticizing them for a historic September collapse.

I know that this team rarely has any extra money to spend, but.. I think something should have been done, at least for appearance sake, to make it look like management wanted to improve the team.

The Phillies should run away with the East again, and I think that with the addition of Reyes and others, the Marlins have now passed us, and can get the wild card. The Cards probably wont be a factor with Albert and Larussa gone.

I think that the Braves will finish no better than third, with a record of maybe,.,. 85 wins, max. Hudson had a good year last year. We know Chipper will be injured, and how much can we expect from JJ and Hanson?

I will be surprised if the Braves contend for the wild card, considering the shortcomings this team has, and the hangover from the collapse of last year.

The Lumber

January 25th, 2012
10:48 pm

I just truly believe that when the time and deal is right the Braves have the pieces to make a blockbuster move. I love the pitching depth the Braves have but I feel that when the deal is right the front office will get it done, in the fashion of the Yanks-M’s trade and get us some hitting help. It seems we match up well with the hitting the Royals have in Starling,Cain,Myers/Teherean,Delgado,Vizqieno,Minor,Gilmartin,Hoover

AtTheMike

January 25th, 2012
10:58 pm

MitchC agreed. One too many questions with the health of players they need desperately to be real contenders. Chipper, Hudson, Jurrjens, Hanson, Prado and Heyward. All are health questions heading into the season.

The Lumber

January 25th, 2012
11:00 pm

It will be fun to see this team with Bourn in the leadoff spot all year! I think Prado needs to get as many at bats in Spring Training behind him as possiable, he seemed very uncomfortable adjusting to the aggresive baserunning of Bourn last year.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
11:06 pm

do not hold your breath on a blockbuster deal Lumber

cabravesfan

January 25th, 2012
11:13 pm

The only health question I think we have coming into the season is Huddy, and that seems more of a timing issue rather than an “is he going to be able to pitch” issue- he will be fine, just a matter of how long it takes. As far as I’ve heard, the others are healthy.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
11:19 pm

do not agree cab, I think JJ and TH are both health issues, prolly more so than Huddy.
Not saying that they will not bounce back but there is at least a bit of doubt on both

BFChris27

January 25th, 2012
11:21 pm

http://www.wix.com/jamesnchamberslawn/bizsite

I hope it’s OK, but wanted to share with everyone me and my friend’s new lawn care business site. We’re opening the business soon.

cabravesfan

January 25th, 2012
11:21 pm

nolie-

Like I said- as far as I have heard, they are both healthy heading into the season. That does not mean they will stay healthy, but I am not going to assume they will be hurt.

The Lumber

January 25th, 2012
11:24 pm

Nolie i am not talking about a trade before this season or anytime in the near future, but after another year of seeing what we have in Delgado and the others then I see a move going down. I think this team with Bourn for a ful year and a deeper bullpen and J-hey bouncing back we get the wild card. So maybe at the trade deadline or in next off season you see the blockbuster deal.

I liked what McGuirk said about free agents and how teams often over pay. I would much rater trade for a yonger player and lock him up and with the pitching depth we can make a trade like that.

Agree with you and DOB it is a BIG year for the organization and Salcedo. Our minor leagues are without the star hitter!

cabravesfan

January 25th, 2012
11:30 pm

Also, to be clear, I don’t really consider Huddy a health issue. I have no doubt he will be fine, even if it takes a bit longer than anticipated to be ready.

nolie

January 25th, 2012
11:30 pm

cab the only thing JJ has done is pitch 5 innings in the brace. that is pretty meaningless as far as his injury is concerned

cabravesfan

January 25th, 2012
11:32 pm

nolie-

doesn’t mean he is hurt- it takes some getting used to when breaking in a new brace, especially when one has not worn one before. If he has issues in Spring Training, I will be concerned. Right now, I am not.

The Lumber

January 25th, 2012
11:36 pm

Albert gone, Fielder gone. Freeman has a good chance to make All-Star Team!

ColoradoBravesFan

January 25th, 2012
11:53 pm

Lumber… Royals need pitching bad, but I don’t believe there is anyway they trade Myers or Starling. Both Francoeur and Butler will be FAs after 2014, that is perfect for Myers to replace one of them. Cain might be traded, but I think Braves should resign Bourn if possible instead of trading elite SP prospects for him.

Starling is 19 and hasn’t even played in the minors as far as I can tell. Would love to have him but KC would want Braves or any team to serious overpay to get him.

TNScott

January 25th, 2012
11:53 pm

I guess now the balance of power at the first base position has significantly shifted to the junior circuit the last two years.

kenhotlanta

January 26th, 2012
12:00 am

BFChris27: You have a nice looking web site, good luck with your new business.

ColoradoBravesFan

January 26th, 2012
12:10 am

Yeah… Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder. Added to M. Caberera, Texeria, Billy Butler and Morneau. Lots of heavy hitting 1B in the AL…

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:13 am

Except, of course, Miggy Cabrera is no longer a 1st baseman ;)

ChattTownBrian (CTB)

January 26th, 2012
12:16 am

Just like tomorrow will come, Chipper and JJ will get injured in some fashion this season. No crystal ball needed.

Ozzie

January 26th, 2012
12:17 am

Why don’t correct them DOB and tell us its good news. Whoever booked a 25 year TV deal with no opt out was a moron. Period.

If it was not Ted but a flunky from TW or Liberty it makes no difference.

Selig approved the corporate hand off for ATL from one disinterested party to another.

I don’t see anything good in that piece.

Please highlight what is awesome for Braves fans in that interview.

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:18 am

There is no guarantee that tomorrow will come. Besides, I’d prefer to be positive regarding the team. Why dwell on If’s and Maybe’s?

Ozzie

January 26th, 2012
12:20 am

PS – It could have been an blog interview but they are not dumb enough to ask for flaming comments. Let’s open our eyes on that account.

McGuirk is an empty suit who pops his head out of the office when the sniping about his team hits a crescendo. He shovels his usual baloney (”its actually great when other teams get FA that put fannies in the seats, it does wonders for us”) and then goes back into his plush office.

These guys are so out of touch with what it takes to draw fans its comical.

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:22 am

You know what would help bring fans to the stadium? A state unemployment rate under 10%

ChattTownBrian (CTB)

January 26th, 2012
12:24 am

cab, why? All the positive talk got your niners on the couch on SuperBowl Sunday. :lol:

David O'Brien

January 26th, 2012
12:25 am

Why don’t correct them DOB and tell us its good news. — Ozzie

Did I say in any way that there was good news in the interview? Did I given any indication of that whatsoever? No. I did not.

Just said your comment was a mess.

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:27 am

CTB-

First, because being bitter doesn’t accomplish anything
Second, because, despite my Niners ending the season with a disastrous fumble, they had a GREAT season- a million times better than what was expected (and the future is very bright)
Third- because it’s just a game and has no baring on my life in any way, except for a brief period of emotion that I can quickly move past and go on with my life

David O'Brien

January 26th, 2012
12:28 am

Dave, essentially, the Braves have only 84 million to spend on player salary this year, as we have to count the $10 mil owed to Lowe in the trade. — MitchC

Yes, that is correct.

ColoradoBravesFan

January 26th, 2012
12:28 am

Cab… I was going on the theory that Miggy will play 3rd like a first baseman… :)

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:29 am

dwelling on the negative only makes one bitter. Focus on the positive and you will find yourself in a much happier place.

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:31 am

ColoradoBravesFan-

Given what I have heard about his…ummm…questionable defense, you may have a point :) All I can say is that offense better score A LOT of points (or Justin Verlander better throw a no hitter every time he pitches- probably not out of the question…) if they want to win, because that infield defense will leave a lot to be desired

ChattTownBrian (CTB)

January 26th, 2012
12:32 am

cab, oh I know. Just messin with you. And that’s true about being positive. Things are usually only as bad as you make them and a lot of times nothing is ever as bad as you imagine when you’re in a bad framme of mind. I know this all to well.

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:33 am

Did I really just say they need to score a lot of “points”??? Damn wine. Obviously, I meant to say RUNS… :oops:

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:33 am

CTB-

I figured you were :)

cabravesfan

January 26th, 2012
12:48 am

I think it’s time for me to head to bed. Good night all!

Venice Jim

January 26th, 2012
1:04 am

cab’s turn to kill the blog…

DS1

January 26th, 2012
1:22 am

What? cab killed the blog way before I could get back to my hotel room? Now what’s a boy to do?

(nice report on the McQ interview, DOB)

DS1

January 26th, 2012
1:38 am

Wow, it really is dead here tonight……………..

Ward

January 26th, 2012
2:20 am

Hello everyone! I see a lot of people still depressed,but once again…….Strong young arms,and Farm System. Really didn’t have do too much. Would’ve liked the LF with a power bat,but I’m willing to give Prado a chance to see what he can do.Also looking forward to see what Heyward can do too.Excited about the Bull-Pen,and counting down to Spring Training.

Ward

January 26th, 2012
2:33 am

I was watching the teams with the Top 50 Prospects,and the Braves have 3 players in the Top 50 Prospects,not bad at all……….

Ward

January 26th, 2012
2:36 am

I like the idea of going the the younger team for a change,and staying with the Farm System. After what happened with Lowe,and K.K. it would be wise to stay with the young talent.

Ward

January 26th, 2012
2:56 am

Well,all have a good one! I would hold on to our prospects,and not trade one. I would just go with the young ones,and stick with our Farm System. It will be fun to see the young Braves this year. Peace,and talk tomorrow…….

A-Ville Ranger

January 26th, 2012
3:43 am

After reading the McGuirk interview I seriously doubt the long term survival of The Braves in Atlanta. Who the hell signs a tv deal for 25 years ? His contention that he’s almost glad when other teams sign big money free agents comes across like his head is stuck up his azz.

nolie

January 26th, 2012
3:47 am

long term deals almost always bite a team in the butt at some point

ncgary

January 26th, 2012
5:31 am

[...] Perez will be back on the air this Saturday. Tune in on WSB at 10pm to listen. – The Atlanta Braves will wear a new throwback this year (because I haven’t wasted enough of my money on buying throwback [...]

Kyle

January 26th, 2012
7:08 am

The alternate would be better if the tomahawk was under the name but they should take the place of the home red ones on Sunday. Those are the worst.

jeffrey doo doo

January 26th, 2012
7:45 am

His contention that he’s almost glad when other teams sign big money free agents comes across like his head is stuck up his azz.

He’s right. You’re getting maybe 3 good years of Pujols and then you’re stuck paying him a gazillion dollars while he ages and declines, which handcuffs you from extending your own players or signing other free agents.

space monkey

January 26th, 2012
8:12 am

Thank you, Mr. McGuirk, for explaining to us why we have two decades of mediocre baseball ahead in Atlanta. AJC, please publish the name of the idiot dumb enough to sign that TV contract. Somebody needs to make sure he or she is unemployed. We’ll be lucky to be still in MLB in 10 years because of that contract and attendance is going to nosedive once we lose all of our young players to FA and when we start finishing last every year for a decade starting in 2016. This team is going to blow once it can’t compete with the TV revenues of other clubs. This is a disaster.

Ease

January 26th, 2012
8:16 am

Bye space monkey.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
8:39 am

“I wouldn’t trade our young people for any team’s youth corps. I think the state of the franchise is extremely positive.” – Terry McGuirk

Neither would I.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
8:45 am

McGuirk said the Braves remain deeply rooted in their philosophy of building through the minor-league system.

Except that philosophy only works if you draft well, and we haven’t the last three years. So it should be interesting to see what our minor league system produces in the next few years. Hopefully we don’t stay so one-sided and college heavy.

TennesseePaul

January 26th, 2012
8:46 am

So Terry pegs it at $94M. Interesting. It’ll be real interesting to see if it stays at that level next off-season when all the long contracts are ending.

Ease

January 26th, 2012
8:47 am

Terry obviously does not peruse the blog much, if at all. The state of the franchise is not only positive, but extremely positive? Poppycock, balderdash, etc, etc, etc…

TennesseePaul

January 26th, 2012
8:48 am

“I wouldn’t trade our young people for any team’s youth corps. I think the state of the franchise is extremely positive.” – Terry McGuirk

Neither would I.

Not even the Royals farm system? I’ve been reading your reviews of the BA-farm systems… Perhaps I mis-read but you seem to favor several teams ahead of the Braves.

TennesseePaul

January 26th, 2012
8:50 am

Hopefully we don’t stay so one-sided and college heavy.

I almost have to laugh when I see other teams spending heavily in the draft. Dollars are a scarce resource and investing in the draft is terribly inefficient.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
8:51 am

Jonathan Mayo from MLB.com came out with his Top 100 prospects list last night. Braves got 5 prospects on the list:

#4 – Julio Teheran
#36 – Arodys Vizcaino
#42 – Randall Delgado
#65 – Andrelton Simmons
#91 – Christian Bethancourt

Here is the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/index.jsp

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
8:54 am

TenneseePaul, you scared the sh!t out of me with your 8:50. I frantically went back and checked the quotes. Ah, early in the mornin. Hah!

Ease

January 26th, 2012
8:55 am

In other news, I am sad to report that jeffrey d has left us for the greener pastures of the “Pat Sajak: I used to host “Wheel of Fortune” drunk” blog. It was a good run jeffrey, you will be sorely missed.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:01 am

Not even the Royals farm system?

I more meant our youth w/ the farm system. For example, Kevin Goldstein from BP does a Top 10 ranking of young players 25 and under for every organization – including farm system. Braves comes out in a week or so. Here is what I’m expecting:

1. Jason Heyward
2. Tommy Hanson
3. Freddie Freeman
4. Julio Teheran
5. Brandon Beachy
6. Arodys Vizcaino
7. Craig Kimbrel
8. Randall Delgado
9. Mike Minor
10. Andrelton Simmons

I’m not sure there is an organization that has as much young talent 1-10 than the Braves, 25 and under. Obviously, they don’t have the depth of many systems, but they have quite a lot of guys on the major league roster for 2012 – and that counts for something because they are already in the show. It’s still really concerning that the Braves have so little in the farm past the big 3 pitchers and a couple of SS prospects, but at least there is great young talent on the 25-man ML roster.

richbrave

January 26th, 2012
9:02 am

EASE:

What blog is THAT?!

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:03 am

It’ll be real interesting to see if it stays at that level next off-season when all the long contracts are ending.

I’m not sure how it’s going to happen unless they make trades and make some one year signings. They have to leave some money available in 2014 and beyond for the young guys through arbitration.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:07 am

And my 9:01 is far more positive than I usually am, but I do like the way Goldstein looks at it with that ranking.

Ease

January 26th, 2012
9:08 am

rich, I know, gut-wrenching…Its another blog on the AJC called The Buzz w/ Jennifer Brett (who looks strangely similar to Rosie O’Donnell). Not sure what she has to offer, but I would guess they are not as rude or clicky over there.

TennesseePaul

January 26th, 2012
9:17 am

I frantically went back and checked the quotes. Ah, early in the mornin. Hah!

Ha! lol.

TennesseePaul

January 26th, 2012
9:17 am

I’ll pocket that “dollars are scarce” bit. I can see having a good time with that over the years.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:18 am

From Buster Olney’s blog this morning:

The Atlanta Braves will be looking at some young guys, as the team’s chairman and CEO says.

Tyler Pastornicky says he’s ready to be the everyday shortstop. In advance of the trade deadline last year, I spoke to several evaluators about some of the Atlanta prospects, including Pastornicky, and he was viewed by all as a definite future major leaguer, but they projected him more as a utilityman than an everyday guy.

Remember: those are just snapshots, and player evaluations change all the time. It goes without saying that Pastornicky’s performance might be the most important X-factor for the club in the upcoming season, along with the health and performance of Tommy Hanson.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:20 am

Of course, here is Toronto’s list – which is absurd:

Top 10 Talents 25 and Under (born 4/1/86 or later)
1. Brett Lawrie, 3B
2. Travis d’Arnaud, C
3. Jake Marisnick, OF
4. Henderson Alvarez, RHP
5. Kyle Drabek, RHP
6. Daniel Norris, LHP
7. Colby Rasumus, OF
8. Travis Snider, OF
9. Anthony Gose, OF
10. Noah Snydergaard, RHP

But most of those guys haven’t produced at the ML level, whereas the Braves guys have, and I suppose that’s more of my point regarding the Braves youth in comparison to other, deeper organizations.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:21 am

I’ll pocket that “dollars are scarce” bit. I can see having a good time with that over the years.

My browser was slow too, so it heightened my anxiety a bit. Really funny……

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:26 am

Also from Buster’s blog, discussing TV deals healping certain teams and it creating a gap between the “A-listers” and “B-listers”:

The rumblings were there even before the final details of the new labor agreement were finished, and now they are getting louder each time that a team signs a player to an enormous contract. Prince Fielder hasn’t even been introduced by the Detroit Tigers, in the wake of his nine-year, $214 million deal, and some rival executives with small-budget and middle-budget teams are privately lamenting what they consider the increasingly untenable position their teams occupy.

“I don’t think the new labor agreement helps small-market teams enough,” said one general manager. “I think it’s really going to hurt us, because it doesn’t address what’s happening.”

And what is happening, in the eyes of many team executives, is that the massive TV contracts that are either already in place or on the horizon for teams like the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners are helping to create two distinct classes of teams.

The A-listers and B-listers, you could call them.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:28 am

And we would obviously be in the B-list, based on Terry’s comments……

Morning Reads for Thursday, January 26th

January 26th, 2012
9:31 am

[...] Perez will be back on the air this Saturday. Tune in on WSB at 10pm to listen. – The Atlanta Braves will wear a new throwback this year (because I haven’t wasted enough of my money on buying throwback [...]

DAP

January 26th, 2012
9:31 am

blog monitor What kind of mental giant would have negotiated and signed a 25 year TV deal?

im pretty sure the deal the angels have-the one that enabled them to sign albert pujols and cj wilson- was a 25 year deal. i think that stuff is pretty common. it sucks big time that the braves dont have a sweet tv deal, but it is what it is. advertising and tickets sales will have to make up for it.

raleighbravefan

January 26th, 2012
9:39 am

the McG interview clarifies a lot…mid market type revenue (I don’t care where Atlanta population ranks), based on attendance and below market broadcast deal.

I would say the whiners ought to be thankful to Liberty Media for buying the team from Time-Warner. You cannot expect a public company (or most individuals, for that matter) to lose money…but they do not expect a profit, and they hands off and let the baseball people run the team…something many individual owners do not do.

Ted should have excluded the Braves in the Time-Warner deal.

Voice of Harold

January 26th, 2012
9:39 am

DOB,

I assume you liked the soundtrack to Warrior. Excellent use of The National, methinks.

Murph

January 26th, 2012
9:41 am

With the dollars at stake I’d have to believe that the Braves would have some sort of escape clause in their TV deal to get out of it… if not, whoever signed it needs to be fired. Not “ha ha, fire that guy”… no, he or she needs to be shown the door. Who signs a 25 year deal that completely hamstrings the club’s finances like that?

monty

January 26th, 2012
9:46 am

JJ and TH stay relatively healthy, Prado and JH bounce back we vie for the WC. Take 2 of the 4 out of the equation, it’ll be a long season,

Lew

January 26th, 2012
9:46 am

There is MLB TV money still coming in. Not all TV deals are local (though it appears that ours sucks). All the money coming from MLB Extra Inngs packages, the XM deal, etc. counts, too and McGuirk said nothing about it.

There is moiney out there – just not sure how much they are going to spend. I can’t believe that the Braves, with concessions sales, mecrchandise sales (those new unis), etc. are actually just breaking even

Lew

January 26th, 2012
9:49 am

That being said – I really appreciate seeing some fiscal responsibility for a change – would that we saw it all around us on a daily basis.

The contracts given to Fielder and Pjols were freaking insane and likely stupid in the long run. So were those stupid backloaded deals the Marlins gave out. There will be little joy compared to the pain that those contracts will inflict longer term.

Efrim

January 26th, 2012
9:56 am

There will be little joy compared to the pain that those contracts will inflict longer term.

Sure hope we capitalize on the Phillies and Marlins awful long term contracts and the Mets being broke and having an awful farm system. Nationals have an incredibly positive future with their potential spending and current farm system.

CB

January 26th, 2012
9:57 am

DAP, Angels new TV contract believed to be 20yrs- 3 billion.

ChattTownBrian (CTB)

January 26th, 2012
9:59 am

Pujols and Fielder can DH though and save their bodies through their contracts, especially in the later years. If I was an AL team and had the money then I’d have signed either one, definitely AP.

kwajbraves

January 26th, 2012
10:12 am

Another prospect list. This include the top 500 prospects.

6. Teheran
14. Vizcaino

http://www.scoutingbook.com/prospects/1-20

bravesgirlnc

January 26th, 2012
10:15 am

DOB and N8. Check out this interview on EW’s websie with the Exec Producer of Justified. He talks about the new character. Great show!
http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/01/25/justified-graham-yost-cut-ties/#more-72515

Lew

January 26th, 2012
10:19 am

Efrim – You don’t think that the Phillies radically overpaid on Howard and gave Rollins too much this winter?

I’d say that the Phillies have a god team going forward, but they’ve already curtailed spending somewhat. They did,’t replace Ibanez with a high priced free agent and the additions they made over the winter were for more journeyman types of role players.

And if the Nationals are successful going forward, it will likely be because of the young talent that they’ve drafted and not from overspending on players (though they HAVE ddone a bit of that).

The Marlins? I really don’t expect that their new stadium is going to boost their attendance for more than a couple of years and they will definitely feel pain from those back ended contracts.

The Mets? Got a long, long way to go and I just don’t see them spending as much money going forward.

I’d say that the Braves will be competitive – even with all the others spending tons of money and us not doing so. But I fully expect to see a really good outfielder here next year, or I might start channeling Ten Paul’s financial negativity.

bravesgirlnc

January 26th, 2012
10:20 am

As for the Braves. The McG comments were frustration for sure (which is why I hopped on the blog this morning to “lurk”). It sounds like what they are saying without saying is that we are using the Tampa Bay model with a slightly higher payroll. What he did not address and what I see as the problem this year, is that we do not seem to have the money to go get a piece…not a center piece. Those are the free agent signings he address, ie the big ones. I agree that those are splashy and all but a lot of times end up major busts (see the Mets with Bay and Santana). We really do have an amazing core but that Cody Ross piece or Seth Smith or one of those type guys would have been such great signs for this team.
Anyway, if you were a fan in the 80s and made it through those lean times, then surely you gotta stick through these times! :)

Lew

January 26th, 2012
10:22 am

TnBRian – Yep, they CAN DH, which is why they got the extra couple years each. However, they will be paying their respective DH’s around $30 mil a year to play half a game.

Murph

January 26th, 2012
10:25 am

Can someone who knows more about the prospects than I do please tell me… why is Vizcaino ranked higher than Delgado? Is it projected upside or something?

After watching Delgado pitch so well down the stretch in ATL I am having a hard time reconciling him being ranked lower in our system than anyone except maybe Teheran.

Delgado seemed to be a real gamer with decent stuff who wasn’t intimidated by pitching for a contender, in the heat of a pennant race, against some of the division’s top talent. That counts for a lot in my book.

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