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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
179 comments Add your comment
ccon
April 5th, 2012
8:59 pm
Too bad they do not award runs for ’swinging the bat good’ when you strike out.
bostonbravo
April 5th, 2012
9:23 pm
so, Fredi not fired yet?? it’s been a day.
Troy
April 5th, 2012
9:25 pm
Talks cheap–Braves need to walk the walk and stop the talk..BS. The Braves have no great stars (Chipper is over the hill & McCann is not getting better but worse) everyone else is just average. Maybe we the fans are asking to much from what we have. I was here in 60’s, 70’s 80’s etc I seen it all but this team is worse hitting team I can remember. What has Wren done to improve this team..NOTHING! When you know the problems you have and you do nothing they get bigger.
I been a Braves fans since 1960 when Braves minor leagues trained in Waycross,Ga. The farm team gave old uniforms to Ware Co HS and Waycross HS to practice and play in. “Oh for the love of the game”..I will always be a Braves fan. One game don’t make a season but its time Braves (Wren) gets off his a@@ and get a hitter are two.
Sorry-I just had to give my 2 cents worth.
Rick
April 5th, 2012
9:25 pm
Watched this for too long – team full of slugs not sluggers
divirticulitis
April 5th, 2012
9:41 pm
“gotta tip your cap, we just got outplayed today”
Engrish Treacher
April 5th, 2012
9:45 pm
gordo, fyi, that’s “same ol’, same ol’” as in old. but you could be right as in same 0 runs today.
Jimdawg
April 5th, 2012
10:03 pm
Your pitcher delivers a great one run game and you lose 1-0. Can ANYBODY on this damn team hit a baseball. Would somebody somewhwer step up and buy this team away from those stupid media dorks.
Rick
April 5th, 2012
10:04 pm
“Bye the way this is the MET”S supposedly the last place team in the division. What happens when we see great pitching?????”
Do you not consider a two time Cy Young winner with a career 3.10 ERA to be a great pitcher?
GOP Cannon
April 5th, 2012
10:13 pm
Rick, yeah Santana must be a good pitcher… he hasn’t started in 13 months and in his first appearance back he absolutley dominates our offense.
Ralph
April 5th, 2012
10:14 pm
Atlanta Braves Braves quotes after opening loss to Mets
5:28 pm April 5, 2012, by David O’Brien
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Braves pitching and the outcome
“[Hanson] did a nice job. Medlen came in and did a terrific job getting through that inning with [runners on] first and second, nobody out, and giving us those two innings that we talked about in spring training that he could do. And then Venters did a great job there. We kept it at one run.”
“Offensively we did a good job being patient with Santana. We got him over 80 pitches there. We just didn’t swing the bat.”
On Venters walking Bay to load bases and face Duda:
“You’ve got to pick your poison. I mean, Duda is no slouch. But we felt we had a better opportunity not to give anything to hit with Bay there. We thought we had a better matchup with Duda. That’s why Roger went out there and spoke to those two guys [McCann and Venters], just to make sure we were on the same page.”
On Pastornicky: “Came out and made a couple of nice plays defensively, hit a triple for his first knock. You feel pretty good with one out and man on third. We just didn’t get him in. But overall, I thought offensively we had a nice approach against Santana, and our bullpen was terrific.”
On not getting the runner in from third with less than two out
“Yeah, they made some pitches”
**DAN UGGLA
On Johan Santana
“He’s not the guy who’s throwing 94 anymore but I tell you what, he still knows how to pitch. He’s still in the zone. He knows how to compete and he’s still got that great change-up. He went out and battled and got us today.”
Tough loss for Hanson
“Yeah, Tommy did great. He went out and battled, too. They were able to scrape one across. We had a couple of opportunities to get some runs but we didn’t come through. But at least we got this game out of the way. Opening day is always a lot of fun, but there’s a always a lot of jitters involved, a lot of butterflies. But that’s just part of it. It comes with it. We’ll be ready [Saturday].”
On Pastornicky not looking like he had butterflies
“Yeah, it didn’t look like he had any at all. He played great. Put together some good at-bats, smoked that one to right-center and played great defense. He’s an athletic kid and he’s got all the tools to be a great ballplayer. I’m excited to see – I think we’re all excited to see – what he’s capable of doing.”
On feeling in dugout as game wore on
“Like we were about to do something big. I think those last four or five innings I think everybody felt comfortable and settled in a little bit, and we put together some good at-bats. We just didn’t find the holes, maybe just missed a pitch here and there. But Freddie squared up a ball to right field, it just didn’t carry enough to get out of the ballpark. But all in all today we just came up a little short.”
***TOMMY HANSON
On his performance
“It was good. Until that last inning I felt like I threw the ball well. Just that last inning I got a couple of pitches. That’s the only thing that kind of jumped out at me. But I think the first five I threw the ball really well.”
“I felt really good. I didn’t get tired and my shoulder felt great. I think just towards the end that walk, then I left a couple of pitches up to Murphy and Wright. But I felt good, I felt strong. Kris came in and cleaned up my mess.”
On the pickoff move and looking comfortable with that and everything else
“Yeah, I felt real comfortable. I saw Kris use that move the other day, so I just thought I’d try it and see if it worked. And it did. Just trying to be like him I guess.”
On Pastornicky: “He had a great game. Hit that [triple] and played good defense. Everyone’s comfortable with him at short.”
On losing 1-0
“It was just one run. Sometimes that’s going to happen. Sometimes you’re going to go out and that’s going to happen. Sometimes you’re going to go out and have a bad game and you’re going to win. That’s just the way it is. But I felt like I went out and did my job. I gave us a chance to win and we were in there until the ninth inning. All it would have taken is one swing.”
On Santana
“I was very impressed with him and all his pitches. He was commanding the strike zone and keeping us off-balance, as the results tell.”
On not being surprised to see Medlen work out of jam
“No, anybody that’s seen him pitch is going to be confident he’s going to go in and get the job done. It’s definitely a comforting feeling having him come in behind you. What he did, he does that almost every time it feels like. Obviously I didn’t want to come out of the game, but when I saw he was coming in it was a good feeling.”
More on seeing Medlen pickoff move the other day
“I figured I’d try that and see if it works. I knew he was trying to run, so I was trying to keep him close.”
On the pitches to Murphy and Wright in sixth (consecutive hits, the second driving in the only run)
“It might have gotten too much of the plate, I haven’t looked at it. I wanted it kind of up and in, and it might have gotten too much of the plate. I didn’t want it to be down-and-in, I wanted it to be up.
“And then with Wright it was a two-seamer that wasn’t quite as low as it needed to be.”
On throwing a lot of two-seamers (sinkers), his new pitch
“It felt good. I got some groundballs when I needed them with it. I’ve never really gotten groundballs in my career, so it gives me another weapon. And I kind of like throwing it.
“Kris showed me how he throws it, and it worked. So he’s the MVP for me right now.”
***TYLER PASTORNICKY
On looking comfortable out there
“I felt great. Surprisingly, during [batting practice] I thought I’d feel nervous and stuff. I felt great. I think I got all my nerves out in spring training, with that terrible start. I felt great [today]. Tough game, but it was good to get out there and get the first one out of the way. Tommy threw the ball great. Couldn’t have thrown any better.”
“Get that first at-bat out of the way and then go, ‘OK, here we go.’ It’s a good feeling to get all the firsts out of the way today.”
On Santana: “He had good stuff today. He didn’t make many mistakes, and when he did make mistakes he left them in spots where we couldn’t capitalize on them.”
On being patient, drawing walk against Santana: “One thing I had to learn in spring training when you’re hitting eighth with a pitcher behind you in a situation like that, you’re probably not going to get too many good pitches to hit, so I had to use some patience there.”
On Blue Jays flying Pastornicky’s mom and dad in for game
“Awesome. I can’t believe they would do something like that. It was classy. It’s awesome.”
“I had some friends from high school here, to make it that much more special. They all flew in today. It’s cool to get to go out there and experience that, then get to see them later on and talk about it. I’m looking forward to it.”
(about 15 friends from high school in Bradenton came up)
***KRIS MEDLEN
On coming in with two on and none out and getting out of jam
“I came in and threw strikes, man. Anytime you have a guy in scoring position… I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve been a reliever, or done anything. But with Tommy’s guy on second base, you don’t want him to score. That’s what the relievers do, they take pride in not letting those guys score.
“Just trying to help the team win, anything I can do. Ate up a couple of innings today. It didn’t work out for us score-wise, but everything felt good. Just throwing strikes.”
Go in with attitude you’re going to go as long as they leave you in, or knowing how many innings you’re likely to pitch?
“You don’t want to be like, going in and after one inning be like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to be done.’ And they go, ‘You’re back out.’ So just assume you’re in the game and … you’re in the game.”
On Hanson’s pickoff move
“Good. That California water I guess, quick feet. We both spent 23 years in California.”
.ShareThisPrint
..99 comments Add your commentrotomeister
April 5th, 2012
5:33 pm
Same September Song; New April Verse: “We just didn’t swing the bat.”
LinkReport this comment.Braveslog
April 5th, 2012
5:34 pm
Medlen’s my MVP for the Braves in this one. He does everything Fredi asks of him, and he does it well. Good stuff, DOB. My recap is here: http://braveslog.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/braves-fall-to-mets-1-0-in-season-opener/
LinkReport this comment.@DanWeiner
April 5th, 2012
5:34 pm
Fire Fredi. Fire Wren.
LinkReport this comment.Boo
April 5th, 2012
5:38 pm
SHADES OF THE END OF LAST SEASON.
LinkReport this comment.McClutch
April 5th, 2012
5:39 pm
I guess SportsCrack.com with our 4th place finish. Same ole song and dance. Can’t hit.
LinkReport this comment.rc35
April 5th, 2012
5:41 pm
I know the Pollyanna Chorus will be here in full force: “It’s only one game. Everybody gets shut out sometime.” When you end a season the way the Braves did last year and spend 3/4 of Spring Training showing nothing at the plate, though, this is hardly the way you want to open a new season.
I’m not throwing in the towel, but I would like to hear some signs of a pulse. And, please, no more comments like: “Offensively we did a good job….We just didn’t swing the bat.” In baseball, swinging the bat IS the offense.
Still, Go Braves!
LinkReport this comment.GoBraves!
April 5th, 2012
5:43 pm
ok its one game, chill. We still have 161 games left. No worries. We have such a negative fanbase. Keep in mind, we have an arsenal of trade bait in pitching and we have until July 31st to make a move. Frank Wren has done a great job with the funds we have. If liberty media, (owners of Barnes & Noble and the Discovery Channel, to name a couple) would pony up some more money, we can be unreal.
LinkReport this comment.Ken Stallings
April 5th, 2012
5:43 pm
A 1-0 4-hit shutout on game one isn’t exactly going to stop the chatter about an inadequate lineup!
LinkReport this comment.jonathan Simeone
April 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
It’s only the first game so there should be no panic but this was the same team that finished last year. Good starting pitching, but no length, quality relief pitching and terrible offense. Once again, the failure to play fundimental baseball–never mind string together hits–just killed this team. I thought Parrish was fired because the hitters weren’t moving runners?
LinkReport this comment.Kyle
April 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
“offensively we had a nice approach against Santana”
oh really Fredi??? and what was that approach??? pop up to shallow OF??? bounce weak grounders right at him??? Fredi is such an idiot
LinkReport this comment.rotomeister
April 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
I feel sorry for my team. Hard to expect much from Matt Diaz or Jose Constanza. Matt stranded runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2 out on a ground ball to second base. And Constanza strikes out with a man at 3rd base. They are to hitting what Livan Hernandez and Chad Durbin are to ERA. Not impressed with our bench this season.
LinkReport this comment.chopp’nunhappy
April 5th, 2012
5:45 pm
Why can’t the Braves have an owner who really gives a s*(& about the team and the community?? … and spend money to put a quality, championship caliber team on the field. Ted spent the money, but Liberty Media couldn’t care less about the team, except as a tax write off. The old pitching and defense will will a lot of games line when Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, Avery, Weis, Pendleton, Bream, etc. were on the team, BUT …. we have very good pitching, but none on the current staff are Cy Young winners YET. It’s the old story … you can’t win if you don’t score. Several blown opportunities today to score were totally wasted.
Hey Liberty Media — Arthur Blank would give you a great return on your investment!!!!!
LinkReport this comment.The Black Hole of Offense
April 5th, 2012
5:49 pm
I swear if Albert Pujols came to the Braves he would hit .200 with 10 HR. This is really really really getting old.
LinkReport this comment.Steve
April 5th, 2012
5:49 pm
“GoBraves” these “fans” don’t understand baseball. Santana is a great pitcher but unless the Braves won today 11-1, they will not be happy. They expect the Braves to go 110 – 52, hit .350 as a team and hit .500 with runners in scoring position. If they win Saturday 11-1, they will still complain about something. Pretty sad. They also don’t know I guess that on opening day, almost all games are low scoring. Miami and Philly both scored only one run in their openers also.
LinkReport this comment.Tampa Gator
April 5th, 2012
5:49 pm
Win tomorrow and we’re back in the game!
We were just one key away from winning the thing.
Time to crank it up!
We threw the heck out of the ball today.
Can’t win ‘em all.
Take it one game at a time.
We’ll show up tommorrow.
Will get ‘em tomorrow.
The breaks just didn’t go out way.Just
We were just one pitch away from a shutout.
We could have just as easily have won that one today.
Need someone to step up tommorrow.
He lived on the edge today.
He painted the corners.
He put holes in our bats.
He sure looked polished out there.
That was some crafty pitching.
Tough loss.
161 more to play.
It was only one game.
We’re still in it.
Oh, baseball is back…..so are the Braves bats.
LinkReport this comment.Don McMahon
April 5th, 2012
5:50 pm
Of course, Braves had used up their RH hitting OF and didn’t have one when they needed one. Should havve kept the rightie Durango and had him batting for Costanza. Same ole story. Braves swing for fences and Mets hit line drives.. .
LinkReport this comment.Go Go Pilots
April 5th, 2012
5:51 pm
Great game i see freddie is cap tippin as we lose to a worst mets team….must be nice freddi sits Uggla go’s hittless and heyward do same….amazin braves 0-2 after friday game…and be 0-4 after sunday’s game great start….I can see clearly now freddie is like maloxx you take little nothin comes take alot …..well u get picture!
LinkReport this comment.ATLRedMan
April 5th, 2012
5:51 pm
I’ll still take lousy baseball over no baseball! Looking forward to being at the Ted again.
LinkReport this comment.Tampa Gator
April 5th, 2012
5:52 pm
@Steve…..
Big differences…..
1. Phillies and Reds won….score one run.
2. Braves lost….score zero runs.
LinkReport this comment.Joe
April 5th, 2012
5:53 pm
Fredi and Frank….two guys who have never proven they could get it done. I don’t see it happening this year either. I do like Greg Walker and his assistant Scott Fletcher as hitting coach but this is a poor hitting team with questionable starting pitching and poor leadership at the top. A .500 team at best.
LinkReport this comment.braves blog
April 5th, 2012
5:54 pm
MEET THE NEW BRAVES!
THE SAME AS THE OLD BRAVES
LinkReport this comment.Steve
April 5th, 2012
5:54 pm
The point, Tampa Gator, is that it is the FIRST game. If the Braves start 1-5 or 2-4, I will be right on board with the cry babies.
LinkReport this comment.braves blog
April 5th, 2012
5:54 pm
Good…
Thats one game closer to firing Fatso Gonzalez
LinkReport this comment.Who Me?
April 5th, 2012
5:55 pm
PLEASE buy this team back Ted!! We suck and everybody makes excuses, then goes home. Lame attitude, lame club. Welcome back FG.
LinkReport this comment.Who Me?
April 5th, 2012
5:56 pm
Does anyone ever remember the coach that’s hired right AFTER the HOF Coach retires???
Need I say more?
LinkReport this comment.NickB
April 5th, 2012
5:56 pm
Santana pitched very well, it’s not like he was throwing slop and the Braves were hitting into DP’s or anything. He looked like the old Santana.
That being said, I think Fredi made a serious managerial error by allowing Diaz to face the righty and then going and double switching him in the next inning!! Diaz mashes lefties, but he’s pedestrian against righties.By allowing him to hit, he hurt the team, then by double switching for Constanza he tipped off the mgr that Constanza would be hitting in the next inning making it a no brainer to bring in the lefty reliever.
If he pinch hits for Diaz with Hinske(or whomever) then he could pull Tommy and not have to worry about tipping off the other mgr later. It would’ve have allowed him to have a better matchup possiblity later in the game.
BTW, the fact that Durbin was seen warming up in a high leverage situation is frigging ridiculous. Normally i am one of the more optimistic people on here. (as I understand how good this team is) but Fredi doesn’t need to be giving Durbin any important innings while Martinez,and Kimbrel and O’flaherty are sitting out there.
LinkReport this comment.Go Go Pilots
April 5th, 2012
5:57 pm
Like said we lose tomorrow and u goin hear more un-happy fans again..Like promo said for Braves..Cox and freddi bring Nothin in 2012…
LinkReport this comment.Gordo
April 5th, 2012
5:59 pm
Same oh, same oh…not a single batter for the Braves can be considered “clutch”…the Bravos just keep leaving men in scoring position, wasting good pitching . Will be a long year!
LinkReport this comment.James
April 5th, 2012
5:59 pm
Yep James is a real baseball brain alright but he is outnumbered on this blog by a wide margin
my tkc
April 5th, 2012
10:32 pm
I hope every single one of you schmucks who have already given up on the 2012 Braves will be forced to read this drivel at season’s end. Pathetic excuses for hometown fans.
kevkat
April 5th, 2012
10:51 pm
Fans have a right to say whatever they want and if some are already tee’d off after this first game so be it. Yes, it’s only game one but you left off last year hearing the same tired a..excuses as to the reasons they lost and you open the season hearing the same darn thing. “Oh well, at least we made Santana throw 80 pitches-Fredi G.” what the f;;;. Are we to take pride in reaching that goal and not scoring a single run? Say something like ” we should be embarassed that we couldn’t even manufacture a run”, maybe then I would have some type of respect for him.
Fats OKelly
April 5th, 2012
11:01 pm
Hanson was great. Cant complain for his performance. Hitters all sux……….what else is new?
Mr. Positive
April 5th, 2012
11:13 pm
Don’t worry folks, we’ll take the series. Count on it.
Blake
April 5th, 2012
11:17 pm
ok….when Is this team gonna hit?
buzzer
April 5th, 2012
11:21 pm
This team is so dull.
At least I dont get too mad anymore after we lose.
stevie
April 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
It might just be the first game in a long season, things could get better… but what we saw today was not promising. Despite the good pitching stats Tommy Hanson barely broke 90 on the radar gun, the offense was non-existent… this team needs a new owner who wants to win and will spend the money to do so.
STH
April 5th, 2012
11:35 pm
Ahhh what the hell just one game…santana hadn’t pitched since 2010 but decimates this lineup and we get the sos from all the idiots…if you ever spent a day in your life…how long must we endure the excuses…but wait let me guess, the fourth best record in aug…no lesson learned. Somebody get fg a new cue card. An embarassment.
buzzer
April 5th, 2012
11:36 pm
The Braves could offer FREE Food & Drink for the 20 game pack and I still wouldnt go.
They cant run and they cant hit. If you fed them all steroids for 2 months…they would get fat faces and fat azzs and they could have fat swings that would wrap around their own bodies multiple times,but,…they still couldn’t hit.
We are cursed. We might as well be Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bring out the goat.
No scratch that.
There’s plenty of damn squrills(how do ya spell that?)
Drop 50 of the critters in the dugout and force them around the bases.
STH
April 5th, 2012
11:40 pm
my tkc- you and steve are tied for the clubhouse lead for idiot of the day. It has zero to do with giving up. Take your drivel elsewhere.
Tony
April 5th, 2012
11:41 pm
It was only the first game!! Get over yourselves. If the Braves are doing badly in late July or early August then you can bitch. Thare are ONLY 161 more games to go.
iwalterp
April 5th, 2012
11:55 pm
Man, I get home cut on the tv and the Braves are trailing 1-0, but the rookie Pastornicky had just gooten his first hit a triple with one out. I then saw Constanza batting against a left hander and the announcers say that Fredi is not going to send Ross up to pinch hit because he is the only other catcher and the Bobby Cox rule is that you don’t ever pinch hit your backup catcher. Of course Constanza strikes out and the run does not score. The Braves are as predictable as what shoes Bobby Cox would wear in the dugout. Fredi thinks he can just do what Bobby would do and the fans will give him another pass.I hope not.
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
12:21 am
LAG
April 5th, 2012
6:44 pm
I wonder if Cardinals fans cried this much after the opener last year.
Or the Yankees’ fans in ‘09.
Or the Phillies’ fans in ‘08.
Or Red Sox Nation in ‘04 and ‘07.
Wow!
Wow! Wow! Wow!
Are you on drugs? Say no to drugs, LAG.
Just say no.
noodles sloan davies III
April 6th, 2012
12:35 am
I am the biggest Constanza fan in the world but I don’t get why either Durango or Parraz are not on the team in his place. He clearly isn’t hitting and the Braves haven’t had a base running coach worth a poop in years, plus Fredi isn’t very adept at using speed properly anyway, so Jose ain’t here for that.
Did Jose ever get his wrist operated on? Didn’t Joe or Chip say last year he had a bulge or something on his wrist and it kept him from switch hitting as he had in the past? iirc, They said that back when JC was on fire, and they surmised Jose would now get the attention to his wrist since he showed he could play. Apparently being in the minors doesn’t rate being healthy for the Braves now.
Am I wrong David? What is the deal with his wrist? Does it really keep him from switch hitting? Did I dream that?
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
12:37 am
iwalterp
April 5th, 2012
11:55 pm
Fredi is not going to send Ross up to pinch hit because he is the only other catcher and the Bobby Cox rule is that you don’t ever pinch hit your backup catcher.”
Hey, that’s just the way it’s done. It doesn’t matter that it didn’t work out today and we lost the game.
It doesn’t matter how many times it continues to not work and cost us future games.
It’s the way it’s done.
Tradition is tradition.
Lobosolo
April 6th, 2012
12:38 am
You poor, hapless, stupid, ignorant, know-nothing “fans”… Braves got shut out by a two-time Cy Young winner, and all of you whiney, cry-baby, binkie-needing psuedo fans have to chirp your widdle boo-hoos… YOU STILL DON’T KNOW JACK ABOUT BASEBALL (and you never, ever will)… Go down to the bingo parlor and try something a little more your speed, you CAH-RYE-BUBBIES…
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
12:39 am
Whoops. I meant to stop italicizing after the quotation.
Darn it.
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
12:42 am
Binkie-needing?
Sounds like somebody needs his binkie.
noodles sloan davies III
April 6th, 2012
12:47 am
Hey David
re: Uggla – his defense was so stellar last year. Is a defensive coach like a golf coach? Do you need one to keep you sharp? Did the Braves try to get the guy from the Marlins who showed Uggla how to play second on their staff?
noodles sloan davies III
April 6th, 2012
12:55 am
Hey David or anyone,
Who is considered the Braves baserunning and base stealing coach?
Last year at one point they said TP had a special coaching session on baserunning.
buzzer
April 6th, 2012
1:00 am
Face it folks we peaked in 1995.
We have been riding the coat tails of 2 future Hall of Famers: Cox and Chipper.(and Smoltz,Glav,& Maddog..of course..also future HOF).Think of that -thats alot!
They are gone now(soon…) and all we have left is 1 above avg. catcher.
There is nobody winning 10 staight gold gloves in centerfield.(Andruw)
There are no future Hall of Fame pitchers on our staff.
It has takin me all this time to realize that 95 was just one of those supernova events that happens in sports maybe just once in a lifetime.
Its like Tennessee or UGA winning a football national championship.
It only happens once every 50 years.
The Braves are just too small to compete.
Mitchell
April 6th, 2012
1:05 am
Troy
April 5th, 2012
9:25 pm
Talks cheap–Braves need to walk the walk and stop the talk..BS. The Braves have no great stars (Chipper is over the hill & McCann is not getting better but worse) everyone else is just average. Maybe we the fans are asking to much from what we have. I was here in 60’s, 70’s 80’s etc I seen it all but this team is worse hitting team I can remember. What has Wren done to improve this team..NOTHING! When you know the problems you have and you do nothing they get bigger.
The question is what did Frank Wren do last year to address the issue of the wildly underperforming offense while the season was still ongoing?
NOTHING!
ray k
April 6th, 2012
2:26 am
People keep saying there is too much talent on this team to not be successful and that last year was a fluke. I’m not so sure about that.
Mac is a great hitting catcher with sub par defensive skills.
Uggla was an atrocity last year, even with his bizarre hitting streak.
SS is a rookie.
LF will soon be a platoon of Diaz and Hinske, when Chipper goes down
RF is an enigma that may be one of the biggest busts in recent memory
3B is 40 years old
1B is promising
Too much talent?
Hoss10
April 6th, 2012
3:11 am
I can’t believe all the negative comments (or can I with this group?) here after game #1 of 162. Get a grip guys, it’s one game!
That being said, I did see something today that can develop into a pattern with this team and could be troubling. I would really like to hear DOB’s feedback, as well as the TRUE braves fans out there that judge this team realistically.
OK, so the obvious big AB of the game was Constanza with a runner at 3rd and one out. He replaced Diaz, and with Diaz being out of the game, the only RH hitters left were Wilson and Ross. We know those guys aren’t great options, in Rossy’s case because we would lose our backup C. So whenever we face a LH starter and Diaz is later replaced, the other team is going to put in a lefty reliever in this situation. It is our weak spot (lefties), and the Mets exploited us even though they only have 1 in their bullpen (granted a good one)! Now I know this is all moot if Chipper is healthy, but we really can’t expect him to be for the majority of the season.
I didn’t watch much of ST, but I mostly heard that Constanza and Durango are basically the same player, except that Durango is a switch hitter! So why didn’t we keep Durango? Did Constanza really outshine him in ST? I know it was only one game, but I see a pattern of opposing teams starting a lefty against us (with Diaz starting), bring in a righty later (and Diaz is replaced), and then bring in another lefty in a key situation to face a PH. Who do we have to choose from in this instance? Hinske, Constanza, and Francisco, all guys that hit righties MUCH better! I know a lot of people were upset that we didn’t make a big splash this offseason, but I actually agreed with Wren that it wasn’t necessary. The one thing I felt we truly needed was a RH hitter off the bench. We didn’t get it, and actually became worse in losing Conrad (a switch hitter). We’re set with Hinske from the left side, but we need someone to compliment him. Jeff Baker from the Cubs comes to mind. RH professional hitter. I think we had interest in him during the offseason or last July? I know it seems like a small thing, but it can make a difference in a season. Look at today’s game! DOB (and those few knowledgeable fans out there), what do you think?
Hoss10
April 6th, 2012
3:18 am
And to shed some positive light on the game, we had MUCH better at-bats compared to last year. I see the 2 headed monster of Walker/Fletcher and their positive influence already! We made Santana WORK in those 5 innings. He would have gone at least 6 against last years team! We worked the count, fouled pitchers pitches off, and extended AB’s. I hope you guys noticed, because it really stuck out to me! A good sign for the season, because that was a key point for us to fix!
bruce
April 6th, 2012
4:36 am
great feature Dave, thanks for doing this for us!
David O'Brien
April 6th, 2012
5:20 am
great feature Dave, thanks for doing this for us! — bruce
You’re welcome. Glad enough of you enjoy the quotes to make it worthwhile to transcribe them.
?
April 6th, 2012
8:10 am
THE FAT ILLEGAL CUBAN DOES IT AGAIN. TAKE AWAY HIS BUBBLE GUM AND WATCH HIM WILT AWAY.
ccrider
April 6th, 2012
8:14 am
another lackluster uninspired performance by a group that seems to know already they’re going nowhere. their demeanor is a reflection of their manager. uggla’s effort on the grounder looked like he’d rather be elsewhere and j-who? ho-hummed his way to another o-fer with 2 ks. the frediot is again mismanaging (forget tradition, ya gotta ph ross for constanza) and i think he double-switched just because he wanted to look like a real big-league manager. freeman looked good but venters looked uncomfortable (hangover from overuse last year?) and threw a ton of pitches. i’d like to see them “shake things up a bit” but there’s nobody to shake it up with. i get the feeling that this group is thinkin’ only 161 more of this bs before the off-season. been a braves’ fan since ‘57 but i don’t think i’ll watch much this year. the losers of the late’80s were a lot more fun to watch only because of the effort. gonna be a looong season.
JRW
April 6th, 2012
8:34 am
When Halladay lost 1-0 to the Cardinals in the last game for the Phillies last season he said he didn’t do his job. If the “team” needs me to throw a shut out and I don’t then I failed. That’s what makes a great pitcher. Not being quoted as saying how good he felt and everything. That’s the difference between an ace and a pitcher. He showed that mentality today when he shut out the Pirates because that’s what he had to do. The Braves need that mentality her not just say how great everyone played and “Tip your Hat” to the other guys.
Fed Up Fan
April 6th, 2012
8:38 am
It didn’t take long for the “hat tipping” to begin. Get use to those “Goose Eggs” on the Braves scoreboard. You’re going to be seeing a lot of them this year. They’ll be battling the the Mets for the cellar all year long.
Fed Up Fan
April 6th, 2012
8:40 am
p.s. This team SUCKS!
ernesto
April 6th, 2012
9:02 am
This has nothing to do with the loss yesterday, but I really think this team has big holes in it, I”m beginning to doubt Wren’s ability to put together a team – he seems to think in a vacuum. We compete in the NL East and our team’s weaknesses play to most other team’s strengths. I think this could be the year Wren starts getting looked at hard.
HOF 10
April 6th, 2012
9:36 am
So the Blue Jays flew Pastornicky’s mother in for the game?
bill
April 6th, 2012
9:48 am
Santana is at best a .500 pitcher with no fast ball and a lot of guile. We hit poorly and could no capatalize on a walk to the pitcher to load the bases. We diid not do a good job Fredi and could you be any more stupid in your comments which were right out of last year? We pitched great we hit like crap again. Wait til we face Strasburg and all those Phillies and we will see if we have improvved any. Please God give us some hitters. I just renewed MLBTV and we play like that?
Peter
April 6th, 2012
9:48 am
Sitting around waiting for a home run is the Braves offense…… This team is going no where fast.
Peter
April 6th, 2012
9:50 am
Yup…… I”m beginning to doubt Wren’s ability to put together a team – he seems to think in a vacuum.
Been saying this for years….. he got run out of Baltimore…and what have we done since he was here ? ZERO !
****Michael Bourn
April 6th, 2012
9:58 am
On leaving 4 men on base (3 in scoring position)
“No comment”
Winchesteer
April 6th, 2012
10:09 am
Bases loaded and can’t bring anyone home.
A man on third base and we can’t bring him home.
Yep, the same old Braves.
poolcue
April 6th, 2012
10:34 am
is their not another asst. manager on the bench that can help fredi the idiot. one mistake after another.we will be out of it by 50 games.
therut
April 6th, 2012
10:39 am
Where is blogger 22-Say hey? He said Heyward would go 2 for four witha homer and 3 rbi’s. I said he would go 0 for four with two strikeouts. Where are you loud mouth? there is a diference between being negative and reality.
Nattering Nabob
April 6th, 2012
10:55 am
Chopageddon has begun!
Nattering Nabob
April 6th, 2012
10:58 am
Or maybe the chopocalypse!
Van
April 6th, 2012
11:06 am
The Braves 2012 season was summed up perfectly in the opening game….good pitchingNO HITTING…that”s what you are going to see all season…they play more one run games than any team in baseball…..and lose most…..
SavannahBravesFan
April 6th, 2012
12:03 pm
Class act move by an organization. Way to go Toronto! It’s not always about the business side.
Ozzie
April 6th, 2012
12:09 pm
Let’s see where they are in a month. Heck even two weeks.
I am no Fredi or Wren fan. I will be happy when they both are gone along with JS and McGuirk. Never has a team needed a complete FO/on field enema like the current Braves.
They have floundered and regressed under Liberty’s ledger but there are also no risk takers or real aggressive leaders in the FO or on the field. In other words it takes two to tango – tight wallets and bad mgt.
This is a play it safe ball club which operates on a millenium at a glance calendar. They rely on fan patience and hope.
We need to see a more aggressive and risk taking team (in majors, the minors and the draft) to become re-engaged and invested in this club.
The warm milk and farina that has become Braves baseball needs to go and it won’t under this regime.
But again it is one game and while I don’t expect them to make the playoffs I do expect them to at least beat teams they should. Missing the playoffs should at least sweep Fredi out the door. Face planting hard (as in last place) will also get Wren out the door.
In 2013 under new mgt and maybe new ownership they will hopefully begin to wash away the frustrations and disappointments of the past 10 years, maybe.
But for now I am content to see how they do over a month before I change the channel for good.
Mikey
April 6th, 2012
12:57 pm
Hey baseball critics. Johan Santana has a lifeteme W/L 133-69, a 3.09 era and a whip 1.12…basically on par with Roy Halladay’s numbers, who amazingly also pitched a shut-out yesterday. So, good pitching usually beats good hitting and I would not trade the Braves lineup for any in our division, including the decimated Phillies.
Ps. The new and improved Miami Marlins are 0-2, I guess they waisted $200 million and fire Ozzie?
Ozzie
April 6th, 2012
1:02 pm
He also hasn’t pitched in a ML game in 500 days and was topping out at 88 mph but nice try though.
asisson10
April 6th, 2012
1:28 pm
new blog, check out my take of the Diaz/Constanza decision by Fredi.
http://bravedecisions.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/game-1/
Mikey
April 6th, 2012
1:37 pm
So what’s your point? John Smoltz missed the 2000 season and set a major league record in saves in 2002! Santana’s best pitch is the change-up and if you look at his line score with 5 k’s in 5 innings pitched with NO runs scored, (mph) just like Mr Maddux’s is totally over rated.
Any more enlightening comments?
jharber
April 6th, 2012
1:41 pm
money, ownership is one thing management is another. i have said since spring of 2010 thats braves were going downhill fast. nothing has changed my mind. wren and j s judst cannot do the job. a good start back would be put cox back at GM
alex
April 6th, 2012
1:59 pm
@lobo, down boy, down, that’s better, now roll over …go fetch….NOT in OUR yard..BAD boy…
Joy 2 Da World
April 6th, 2012
2:30 pm
Shoulda interviewed McCann & Heyward and ask them why they can’t hit. Then ask Bourn why he stranded 3 RISP. Sugarcoat softball questions city though as expected…
Joy 2 Da World
April 6th, 2012
2:33 pm
Ralph’s a moron
Joy 2 Da World
April 6th, 2012
2:35 pm
Largo : “Fredi says “Offensively we did a good job. . . We got no runs and four of our best hitters went o for 15. Am I missing something?”
Couldn’t say it better myself. How do you do a great job hitting and muster 4 hits and zero runs ????
Chuck
April 6th, 2012
2:37 pm
Stay in the broadcast booth Tito,because next year the Braves will calling for your sevices!
Chuck
April 6th, 2012
2:39 pm
Will be!
BrandonLee49
April 6th, 2012
3:11 pm
Hey Steve, Let’s Try next time With Runners on the Pond, Make CONTACT, Whiffs do absolutely Nothing to help the Team… Sure Santana is high Calibre, so What do You Do about that Freddi ? besides Gather Splinters on your Brain.
RIP RISP
April 6th, 2012
5:07 pm
Why didn’t Fredi try a suicide squeeze with TP on 3rd. We’ve got speed use it. Two batters whiffing. Jeez
ab initio
April 6th, 2012
6:20 pm
@Steve: ““GoBraves” these “fans” don’t understand baseball. Santana is a great pitcher but unless the Braves won today 11-1, they will not be happy.”
I’m a fan, and I understand baseball.
I also understand that the Braves can’t hit, and that if they had made the playoffs last year they would have been the lowest scoring team to have ever done so. The only team to have scored as low as the Braves was the Giants a couple years ago, and they had a great pitching staff.
We can talk about approach, and pitching, but the bottom line is that this team can’t score, and they aren’t going to be a factor until the franchise receives the enema it’s been needing for years.
Seattle Braves
April 6th, 2012
6:50 pm
Very important to those people out there who say “this is only one game and there is 161 games to go”
Maybe you didnt get the memo, but here you go.
When a Team has a low run support for last year and spring trainig.
When a Team has a epic historic collapse.
When a Team decides to remain the same and dosent address offensive woes.
When a Team post a .228 vs lefties, worst in MLB.
When a Team starts the year losing 1-0 with 4 hits. Against a pitcher who went 5 innings and hasnt pitched in a year and 1/2.
When a team has a manager who nakes excuses like “we looked good on offense” C’Mon Really?
I think its well past the point of concern and the boiling point.
THE BRAVES NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THE COACHING STAFF AND THE LINE-UP.
This is Seattle Braves “And we are not Stupid” “Herman Cain”
Pbsound
April 6th, 2012
8:49 pm
I agree with Dan that we should fire frank, but only because he didn’t fire Freddie after the collapse.
JR
April 6th, 2012
8:52 pm
SECOND VERSE, SAME AS THE FIRST.
how many more times will i say that this season?
Mark's for the Braves
April 7th, 2012
12:57 am
Wait till we have to face Dickey’s knuckleball Saturday–we may not score then either.
jc_dawgs
April 7th, 2012
2:45 am
76-86 and a 3rd or 4th place finish is staring us in the face. Thats ok…we got a manager who knows how to tip his cap!
Fats Okelly
April 7th, 2012
2:51 am
I guess these Braves will learn from last year or suck eggs all year. We will see. Man up boys and lets realize “Its a long haul to Nashville” as Hank Williams would tell us
jt
April 7th, 2012
8:52 am
Being from Kentucky, winning sure beats what these Bozo’s do. I mean, do they think things will be any different than last year? LOSERS !!!!
double
April 7th, 2012
9:37 am
Excuses,Errors,and Procrastination.
jv
April 7th, 2012
11:55 am
Well said Todd!