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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,100 comments Add your comment
Ward
March 29th, 2012
3:37 pm
All have a good one! Good luck with the Sea Bass debate……Be cool,and Talk tonight.Peace my friends……..”Go!!!!!Braves!!!!!”
noleee
March 29th, 2012
3:37 pm
technically they are not acronyms they are usually just initials. acronyms make up words like SNAFU or ROM.
Bat Masterson
March 29th, 2012
3:37 pm
I was under the impression that Liberty Media purchased the Braves as a tax maneuver and that they would need to sell them around the five year mark to maximize the benefits.
Nope, they had to hold for a time to appease MLB, (I think) and for the tax break to vest. Once vested it makes no difference whether they sell or not. I guess they would have some capital gains to be taxed if they sold but Malone hates to pay any taxes so I’m sure he would be looking for a deal that offsets any taxes due.
richbrave
March 29th, 2012
3:38 pm
Shall I put you down for 81 then nolee?
bravesgrl4life
March 29th, 2012
3:39 pm
Oh well, game over. And that’s it for me. Actually have to put out a few fires at work before I can leave. So, I will resume blogging with you guys and girls next week. Unless anyone can tell me how to blog on my Iphone. I’d love to be able to from the games this weekend.
richbrave
March 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Oh FUBAR, SNAFU, ROM. It’s a greatest generation rally, you lucky duck you.
Shaun
March 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
DAP, according to Defensive Runs Saved, 2010 was by far his best. On Baseball-Reference, if you look at his 2010 as a hole (combine partial, since he played for both Toronto and Atlanta), 2010 and 2011 look about equal.
I think Gonzo was a fine fielder last year as well as in 2010. I don’t know that Freeman was primarily responsible for his defensive value. Also I still don’t think that Pastornicky or Simmons or Wilson or some combo of the three will be so much worse than Gonzalez was last season that it will come to pass that they should have signed Gonzo for close to the $4M he got from Milwaukee. I think we agree on that point.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Must be a LOF thing – I knew exactly what noleee meant – THIS time.
Soph
March 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
brian –
http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/7752253/north-carolina-tar-heels-jon-henson-harrison-barnes-kendall-marshall-enter-draft
I figured Barnes and Henson were goners but was hoping Kendall would stick around. I really enjoyed watching him play the last two seasons.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
81-84
DAP
March 29th, 2012
3:41 pm
nolee nah not a spike last season, he has a great 2010 too
went from 7 to 12 total zone fielding runs above average, and went from 9 to 15 in defensive runs saved.
again, not not great with defensive stats, but thats a spike, based on those particular numbers provided by different sources through baseball reference.
George Stein
March 29th, 2012
3:41 pm
Thanks, Lew.
If we look for a silver lining, perhaps the Braves not having more value would allow a potential new owner to spend more on players!
George Stein
March 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
Thanks to you, too, Bat.
Soph
March 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
True, noles. Either way – still end up searching them out online.
Bat Masterson
March 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
I end up Googling a lot of nolie’s acronyms, Bat. I’m just not hip like that.
Soph_
Yeah, I have to look up some, I’ve picked up a lot of nolie’s by now. Don’t know how I missed GMAFB, it’s one of my favorite phrases.
Shaun
March 29th, 2012
3:45 pm
George Stein, I’m no expert on this by any means. I think the Dodgers are such a unique case. It seems that it was a bidding war more so than other sales. Also, they are in such a huge market and they have such a rich history that their brand is just so unique. Aren’t the Braves locked into their TV deals for a long time which makes it tough for an owner to get any extra TV revenue from the Braves in the near future?
Bat Masterson
March 29th, 2012
3:45 pm
You betcha, George S
David O'Brien
March 29th, 2012
3:48 pm
If there were other candidates, I’d say Gearrin’s spot was in jeopardy after his 2nd bad outing in a row. But there seemingly aren’t other candidates except Gearrin and Flande, who I think will both make it.
Also underscores need for Medlen in ‘pen.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
3:48 pm
George Stein – You never know – They could sell the team to an individual owner like that Dude in Pittsburgh or the one in Miami (this winter’s splurge won’t last) who won’t spend money no matter what. No guarantees of boosted payroll and the sale would take years, anyway.
MFin04
March 29th, 2012
3:48 pm
This offense is still VERY bad. Going to be tough to win games with this type of production.
George Stein
March 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
I do think the TV deal the Braves have in place is a massive issue, Shaun, and that it would adversely affect their value. I have heard the figures but I can’t recall what they were. I do remember being taken aback by them, particularly because for years we were so used to having TBS.
ncscoots
March 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
If we look for a silver lining, perhaps the Braves not having more value would allow a potential new owner to spend more on players!
Depends on how much red ink any new owner would be willing to bathe in. Were it I, I’d want to see some kind of plan or projections that would give me at least a lukeward fuzzy that I could recoup such a negative outlay at some point in the future. Preferably while I owned the team.
What I’m saying is, could the Braves’ management team provide me with any realistic scenario that results in the team drawing 3MM, at any near point in the future? Otherwise, I’d might as well just light a match to the money, for all the good it would do me past the satisfaction of spending it.
David O'Brien
March 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
Minor will start for Braves Tues. vs. prospects at Triple-A Gwinnett. Would put him on pace for Sun. at Mets, but nothing has been said about rotation order yet. Fredi said before today’s game that he had Minor in rotation vs. Mets.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
I prefer Bill James stats and he was about the same in both years as to runs saved. not worth really arguing about as metrics are not all that precise anyway.
I’m sure that Freddie was some help at least
Bat Masterson
March 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
bravesgrl4life _
If you want to comment from your phone go to the full ajc braves page, not the one for mobile, find the blog, sign on as usual and fire away. Watch out for auto correct.
George Stein
March 29th, 2012
3:50 pm
I suppose that’s true, Lew.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
3:51 pm
DOB – It’s sounding like Anthony Varvaro is noit being considered. If he does not make the team, can he be sent to Gwinnett, or does he become a Free Agent?
David O'Brien
March 29th, 2012
3:51 pm
Venters got behind couple of hitters, but pitched a perfect 8th (2 groundouts, flyout) said his arm felt great. 1st game since 3/18
George Stein
March 29th, 2012
3:53 pm
I’m not familiar with the Braves P&L so I guess I couldn’t say one way or the other whether adding new (better?) players would lead to more butts in seats at games.
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
3:54 pm
DOB…I enjoy your coverage of the Braves, however your depiction of Hinske’s reverberating “F-bomb” as “funny”, totally disregards the many children in attendance and the myriad of adults who find that term at minimum crude and inappropriate.
Society is losing, and has lost, its ideals for decency. If someone came to Hinske’s home and used that language in the presence of his children, I wander what his reaction might be?
JC Brave
March 29th, 2012
3:54 pm
Braves sent Asencio to the Indians?
Oh well…
noleee
March 29th, 2012
3:55 pm
I think Varvaro still has options, IIRC only Martinez and Ascensio were out.
MiaBchBravesFan
March 29th, 2012
3:55 pm
It would be interesting to see if Gearrin is getting clobbered by lefties, since he has adjusted that sidearm pitch to lefties to take something off. Since it’s something new, he may be tipping that pitch off.
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
3:56 pm
I jinxed Minor and he walked 5 batters. Oh well. So the pen is going to be:
Kimbrel, Venters, O’Flaherty, Medlen, Martinez, Gearrin, and Flande? Certainly not the deepest pen in the league as many here were stating during the offseason.
Let’s hope Vizcaino makes a great recovery. Damn shame.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
3:56 pm
Cussing in sports? Hardly something that’s just beginning to rear it’s head.
MiaBchBravesFan
March 29th, 2012
3:57 pm
Braves sent Asencio to the Indians for cash…
Can cash play LF???
JAFO
March 29th, 2012
3:58 pm
Right on MF. Apparently no one seems to give damn.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
3:58 pm
musta watched Bad News Bears…
Lew
March 29th, 2012
3:59 pm
Efrim – I’m not so sure Vizcaino would have started the yer in Atlanta, anyway. About the nly differences in that group is no Varvaro and not many had even heard of Flande before this spring. Most thought Asencio would be there instead of Gearrrin.
flange1
March 29th, 2012
3:59 pm
Braves One,
It was funny. Try getting a sense of humor!
brian
March 29th, 2012
3:59 pm
thanks Soph for the update – just sneaking in a peak here while at work.
At least there is a great recruiting class coming in. Barnes………enigma. Will miss Marshall a lot
ncscoots
March 29th, 2012
4:00 pm
Better players, heck, even postseason success, even a WS win, don’t necessarily correlate with higher attendance. There are tons of more important factors that drive that number. If the Braves don’t have a full crew of folks who can tell you the difference in holding bobblehead night on a Tuesday versus a Thursday, what the demographic cross-section was at each, and the geographic distribution of the folks at each, I’d be shocked.
Success is an incubator, true. But if there are limiting demographic, geographic, or socioeconmic factors on attendance, there isn’t much difference between 82 wins and 102.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:01 pm
humor is the Devil’s tool….
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:01 pm
Lew … Cussing in sports? Hardly something that’s just beginning to rear it’s head
Lew…you are a perfect example of how decency in our land is on the decline. Instead of thinking of the children, who idolize these guys, we are cynical and sacastic in defense of this behavior. Yes there is plenty of cursing in baseball, but it is not necessary, it’s misplaced and it is a character issue, not a sports problem. Baseball is a family sport and the conduct of all should refelct it as so.
unbelievable
March 29th, 2012
4:02 pm
Why have the Braves expressed interest in Xavier Nady? He cant do anything well and hasnt since 2007/2008.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:02 pm
no crying …or cussing… in baseball anymore
MiaBchBravesFan
March 29th, 2012
4:03 pm
I agree, Efrim. The issue, of course, was boosted by the thought process that the young guns were gonna work out of the bullpen. Well, one is going to have TJ surgery, while the others go to Gwinnett as starters – which makes perfect sense (by the way, if G doesn’t go to the playoffs in the IL, it will be for the same reasons the big club does not go… lack of hitting!).
Frankly, the bottom two of the bullpen gives me serious concerns that the top three are gonna get worn down to the nub again by August. The starters need to be allowed to hit seven, come hell or high water. Otherwise, this will be the last season we see Venters as a healthy pitcher. He has been brutally abused the last two seasons!
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
4:03 pm
Anyone see this? http://media-cache6.pinterest.com/upload/84864774198351680_eKhlLtIs_c.jpg
Frankie Wren
March 29th, 2012
4:03 pm
I am sure the autographs that Hinske signs and visits to area hospitals to see sick children, probably trump a F bomb blurted out in front of a sparse crowd that might have offended a couple of people. Glass houses you know.
STRETCH
March 29th, 2012
4:04 pm
Nady, a 10-year veteran, has played for 6 different teams in his career, playing every outfield position and first base. Over these years he has accumulated a career .275 batting average with a .328 on base percentage as well as a solid .981 combined fielding percentage at every position. Based on this consistent past performance, along with his defensive versatility, he actually has a small chance to compete for the starting center field position or a bench position at some point this season as long as he prospers quickly in the minors.
Almost every Nationals fan knows that spring training will determine who will be the Opening Day center fielder for the Nationals. With Bryce Harper optioned to AAA after his golden sombrero, he has exited the running for this opportunity. This leaves the competition open to three players, newly acquired Brett Carroll, Roger Bernadina, and former pitcher Rick Ankiel.
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:04 pm
flange1…funny to who? Did you poll the parents of the children sitting in the stands to on this? Were you even there?
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:05 pm
Nady has sucked for at least three years
Hillbilly
March 29th, 2012
4:06 pm
Braves sent Asencio to the Indians for cash…
Can Cash play LF???
No, but he can play the Tennessee Flattop Box. And he would play…
DAP
March 29th, 2012
4:06 pm
i agree with braves one, i hope hinske was embarrassed.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:06 pm
Braves One sounding like milSAPs
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
4:07 pm
Here’s that full Wall Street Journal article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304177104577309860750637758.html
Braves are still going to win a lot of games, imo. My biggest concern right now is Julio Teheran’s shoulder. Any soreness and or discomfort from fingertips to shoulder is not a good thing. And the homer rate this spring wasn’t a good indicator. Would of loved to see him take the 5th starters spot in place of Huddy and run with it.
cabravesfan
March 29th, 2012
4:07 pm
People curse. It happens. Move on…
DAP
March 29th, 2012
4:07 pm
efrim, whats the source for that? thats awful.
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:07 pm
Frank Wren … no one is saying Hinske is not a nice guy, he happens to be one of my favorites, but the use of the term in a family event like that is not necessary to the game. It was inappropriate. Ask Hinske and he would probably agree.
DAP
March 29th, 2012
4:08 pm
ok, i see it now…wall street journal. thats terrible.
flange1
March 29th, 2012
4:08 pm
I could care less what parents think that sit in the stands. It is their jobs to raise their kids, I say RAISE THEM.
We are in a media rich enviornment where information is available 24 7 to anyone who looks for it.
Parents have to control what their kids see and hear.
ANd need to let the kids know what to say and what not to say.
That is the job of a parent not a baseball team.
ncscoots
March 29th, 2012
4:09 pm
Certainly not the deepest pen in the league as many here were stating during the offseason.
I dunno. Most clubs are lucky to have two guys that they are confident in running out there, anyplace, anytime. Braves have four guys who are pretty studly. That’s kinda deep.
Hey, if your third lefty and your fourth righty can’t be a little scrubby, I mean, dang…:-)
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:09 pm
its a 162 game season, even the last place team wins a lot of games…
Mister Frisky
March 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
What’s up JAFO,I’m layin low till next week.Got some good material ready for the regular season.
MFin04
March 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
Cursing? It’s pretty much the only way to deal with this offense. Which not many on here seem to be concerned about right now.
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
flange1 … your comment needs no comment. It reinforces what we are “ok with” in our society.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:11 pm
I want my pen to have 7 pitchers at least as good as Meds…
ncscoots
March 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
I want my pen to have 7 pitchers at least as good as Meds…
Well, that would be nice.
JC Brave
March 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
Marlins released Rowand…
flange1
March 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
Braves One,
Huh?
Jay DUbu
March 29th, 2012
4:14 pm
It would be nice if the Braves could get that 10 mil back that they have to pay D. Lowe from Cleveland.
(I know the rules don’t allow that much in exchange for a player!)
MFin04
March 29th, 2012
4:14 pm
“Kimbrel, Venters, O’Flaherty, Medlen, Martinez, Gearrin, and Flande? Certainly not the deepest pen in the league as many here were stating during the offseason.”
Not sure how that isn’t deep. Got the best 7 8 9 inning guys in the game. Have two of the best long relievers in the game in Medlen and C-Mart. Not to mention Medlen is a great 6 7 8 inning guy. Gearrin has been good in spots and is a place holder for Peter Moylan, and Flande has been a dominate lefty this Spring has he not?
DAP
March 29th, 2012
4:14 pm
flange1 Parents have to control what their kids see and hear.
dont you think its reasonable for a parent to expect a baseball game not include R rated language? c’mon guys, you cant really think its just fine and dandy that Hinske shouted the F-bomb after popping out. or that McCann does it, or anybody else.
Its not a big deal if there are thousands of people and you cant really hear it, but what apparently happened today isnt cool.
Who are all these guys?
March 29th, 2012
4:15 pm
Terdo to Nicky to Freddie……nice double play!
flange1
March 29th, 2012
4:15 pm
I was really hoping Vavarro would have had a great spring…
Fish Bisch
March 29th, 2012
4:15 pm
Braveone: good thing you don’t live in NYC lol
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:16 pm
flange1…I could care less what parents think that sit in the stands
Enough said.
Mister Frisky
March 29th, 2012
4:16 pm
MFin04,I’m with you.Still too many holes in this line up.
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
4:16 pm
ok, i see it now…wall street journal. thats terrible.
It’s awful. 15th in payroll won’t be the case for long – which is fine. But the team will have to be managed like such.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:17 pm
I just caint reconcile myself to all this positivism from MF04. I wonder where the body of the original one is hidden
Lew
March 29th, 2012
4:17 pm
Braves One – I’m a perfect example of societal decline? I’ve never cussed in front of children at a ball game.
But to think that this is something new is either naive or plain disengenuous. It’s been happening for decades. Plenty of instances of Maddux slipping one out on a pitch that didn’t go where he thought it would, BOby Cox being picked up on a directional mike, etc.
Nor did I condone it in my remark. I merely mentioned that this was not some new trend.
I think that rather than claim I’m part of the problem, maybe you should check out your own case of self righteousness.
flange1
March 29th, 2012
4:17 pm
DAP,
Stuff happens. It did in 1965 when I went to my first game and it does today. Folks say things they shouldn’t.
A good parent would have talked to their kids to know that the word Hinske used was an adult word.
No need to get all upset about something that happens and that has always happened in sports.
Murph
March 29th, 2012
4:17 pm
My kids hear the odd F-bomb or S word from time to time… try as I might, I can’t shield them from everything. The 5 year old is quick to repeat words she hears, but I’m quick to let her know the consequences of uttering those words. It’s up to her if she chooses to listen to me or not.
She came home the other day and informed me that a boy in her class taught her about showing others her middle finger. I explained what would happen if she were to ever show it to me, her mother, he teacher, etc and I haven’t seen it since.
The 4 year old’s favorite thing to say is “DAME IT!”. The other night I was playing with her and I accidentally knocked over Ironman and a bunch of her dinosaurs and she promptly yelled “Dame it daddy!”… i should have told her not to do it, but it was used correctly and was darned cute that i just let it go.
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
4:18 pm
Have two of the best long relievers in the game in Medlen and C-Mart
Not a huge C-Mart fan. To be honest, I like EOF, but I don’t like him as much as some do here.
MFin04
March 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
This team has to show that it has the ability to score runs before I worry about starting or relief pitching. And if this team can’t score runs, they are going to have to once again rely on Venters, Kimbrel, and EOF heavily. You would think they’d try to add offense to this team to keep from having to overuse those guys, but so far the offense hasn’t looked great.
We’re pretty much playing a regular season lineup at this point…and 1 or 2 runs ain’t gonna cut it come the regular season.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
dont you think its reasonable for a parent to expect a baseball game not include R rated language?…DAP
in real life? yeah I think that is not only unreasonable but about as naive as it gets. Even back in my day the language was harsh
Efrim
March 29th, 2012
4:20 pm
So how far did that Heyward home run go?
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:20 pm
Fish Bisch … As a retired police officer I assure you not much would shock me. My post was directed at Mr O’Brien and I feel he was in error and Mr hinske was in error. The issue is that Hinske blurted out somehting he probably would not have done if he had thought about it.
Those who think his verbage was “funny” have had time to think about it and respond and thats was is troublesome.
MFin04
March 29th, 2012
4:21 pm
“Not a huge C-Mart fan. To be honest, I like EOF, but I don’t like him as much as some do here.”
That’s just crazy talk. C-Mart is good at what he does and pitched some very clutch baseball for us last year. Love his passion as well.
EOF? Had the best ERA in the history of MLB with the amount of appearances he had. Enough said.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:22 pm
retired LEO, and you have trouble with foul language? musta been a different precinct than any I ever spent time in
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
Lew…nice try…but your comment rings hollow.
Venice Jim
March 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
Mark Zuckerman @MarkZuckerman
Without saying Brett Carroll and Xavier Nady will make team, Davey Johnson basically said Brett Carroll and Xavier Nady will make team. (retweet by Buster)
VaBravesFan
March 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
So why did we trade Asencio? I figured he’d be in the plans with Vizciano out for the season. Hopefully the extra cash will help make another trade happen. Pretty stupid to see we have interest in Nady…
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
I agree Efrim, won’t surprise me much to see both have worse years
DAP
March 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
flange1 Stuff happens. It did in 1965 when I went to my first game and it does today. Folks say things they shouldn’t.
totally agree. just thought the tone here was that it was cool, no big deal that it happened, which i disagree with. it should very rarely happen (which is the case) and hinske, hopefully, is embarrassed about it.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
4:25 pm
First time I ever heard an adult drop an F Bomb was in 1962 – Outside Connie Mack Stadium in Philly before a Reds/Phillies game. My ears did not shrivel. I’d heard plenty of classmates (5th grade) use the terminology many times.
Braves One
March 29th, 2012
4:25 pm
Murph … I enjoyed your post…parenting is a bigger challenge than hitting a 12-6 curve ball.
Lew
March 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
Braves One -Score another for the theory of Self Righteousness eminating from your (self) exalted personage.
flange1
March 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
In 1966 I went to my first Masters. It was the most beautiful palce I had ever seen in my life. My Dad and I started following a very famous player that I ended up caddying for many years later.
After a missed second shot on number 8, he uttered the expression Bull F#$%. Not something I had ever heard at the time or actually until I caddied for the guy when I was in college. He loved that expression.
Bottom line is that sports and expletives have gone together for years.
It is not a new thing. My dad and I had a talk and that was that.
We moved on.
noleee
March 29th, 2012
4:27 pm
yeah Brave One is an old friend