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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,620 comments Add your comment
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
Lew
Agreed 100%, Freeman is what 22 years old? Leave him alone, whats wrong with a good defending 1st baseman who will hit 20 homers and 30 doubles? Even Keith Law said he doesn’t see Freeman being a 30+ homer guy, but can see him being a 300+ hitter.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
87,000+ for the first two games
Lew
April 15th, 2012
12:25 pm
VaBraves – He’’s a notorious slow starter and doesn’t have his timing down yet.
Lawton – Problem is that there have been reports that they’re trying to get him to pull more and hit for power. Hope not, though.
Snotboogie
April 15th, 2012
12:26 pm
Chipper,Mac,Uggla,Freeman – not a lot of 1st to 3rd speed in those middle spots. Chipper usually good but not with a balky knee. Heyward should eventually get in there sometime and then it’ll look a lot better.
JasonInFL
April 15th, 2012
12:27 pm
FF always starts out slow. I don’t think he will have the dreaded sophomore slump. But, I do agree with Lew. Don’t mess with a good thing. The guy hit 21 HRs last year with his natural approach. He is young and getting stronger. He can hit 30+ with no tweaks.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:28 pm
I think he might have a better chance at 30 homers than .300 myself . best case scenario he does both
Snotboogie
April 15th, 2012
12:29 pm
Problem is that there have been reports that they’re trying to get him to pull more and hit for power. Hope not, though.
I think scoots had a detailed explanation a couple of days ago about this. It’s more a matter of showing he can pull to keep the pitcher honest. And I dont think it’s because they want him to hit for more power – all fields instead of just oppo.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
12:29 pm
CTB Which makes what McCann does even more special. How in the world does he squat like that with all that gear on through those humid summers in that oven like that?
I don’t know…he’s only had to leave the game due to overheating once that I cann think of…
He’s a horse.
…
Lew
April 15th, 2012
12:30 pm
VaBraves – Last year through eight games, Freeman was only 3-26, .154, .241, .192 with 7K. It wasn’t until game 18 that he got hot.
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:31 pm
I’m excited about Heyward going forward, just has all the skills. Look at Justin Upton took him 3 season’s to really break out. He put up good numbers but was up and down the 1st few season’s. Heyward can easily be a one of the best players in the game in a few years.
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:32 pm
Both Freeman and Heyward are getting pitched in. They both like the ball away where they can extend their arms. Both hit the ball up the middle and oppo during strong training. That’s a pretty good indication of their focus, I think.
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:33 pm
Lew
Good point, but in knowing this why would we bat him atop the lineup when he’s clearly struggling and known to start slow? I don;t think him batting 6th or 7th would have affected his confidence or whatever.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:34 pm
good point Lawton.LTNS
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:35 pm
And though Freeman’s numbers are bad, I think he has had pretty good at bats. He’s been fouling off (just missing) hitters’ pitches and getting fooled in 2-strike counts. But I think his approach has been solid. I have no doubt he’ll get his timing soon.
Kat
April 15th, 2012
12:35 pm
I may live 2000+ miles away from Atlanta but it’s pretty cool when a local person from my area makes it into the MLB Fan Cave representing the Braves. http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Life-good-in-the-Cave-3482911.php America truly is Braves Country.
Webster
April 15th, 2012
12:35 pm
Lew– absolutely right. Let FF hit the same way as he did to get to this level. Rather have a RBI double to left than striking out and leave the runner.
Palmer Fralick
April 15th, 2012
12:35 pm
Cream unis look great, the grey travel unis are very classy, so why do they open the season in the hideous slow pitch blue shirt uniforms? No wonder we lost, who is in charge of that? I hate that blue shirt uniform!!
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:36 pm
I think Heyward is gonna have a 20/20 season.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:37 pm
very possible Va, I sure hope he does
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:38 pm
I don’t really hate any of the jersey colors. But, considering the Sunday Reds are now supposed to be the Friday Reds, I was really happy to see the Braves in the classic white uniforms Friday night. Our tall boys – Hanson, Beachy, Heyward, Freeman, and even Chipper, just look so good in those.
George
April 15th, 2012
12:39 pm
Hi y”all
Good win last night. CHIPPER going to give it a try today, hope it goes well. KIMBREL always scairs the heck out of me, think he wants to show off by letting a couple of hitters get on , then he does his job. He is good enough to get them one, two, three, wish he would do that.
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:39 pm
I agree, VA. I think 20/20 is a real possibility. Heyward has shown agressive baserunning so far this season and I like that.
David O'Brien
April 15th, 2012
12:41 pm
brian: Yes, I’ve noticed that, too.
George
April 15th, 2012
12:41 pm
All thru his career FREDDY has had slow starts, don’t worry about it, worry about JASON going cold.
Lew
April 15th, 2012
12:42 pm
VaBraves- Because that’s how Fredi makes out lineups? I’m truly not certain what is in his mind sometimes. The other night with a one rn lead, he had Durbin up and throwing – I almost got sick at the thought.
I’m not one to be overly critical of managers – been called a Blind Homer for not criticising more – but Fredi’s lineups and buppen usage make me scratch my head in wonderment sometimes.
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:42 pm
Spotlight is on SportSouth – Tom Glavine’s Braves HOF induction.
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:42 pm
And they just showed Mac with hair – grow it back, Mac!
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:43 pm
some closers seem to get bored with the bases empty don’t they?
Powder Blue
April 15th, 2012
12:43 pm
Not a fan of the navy or the red jerseys. That being said I’d be O.K. if they wore nothing but red and blue if they won the pennant.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:44 pm
even with hair, he ain’t got much hair
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:45 pm
Talking about his dad – very touching.
Snotboogie
April 15th, 2012
12:45 pm
I think the reds will look better under lights than on bright Sunday afternoons.
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:45 pm
Yeah, nolie, but he was cute with hair. Still cute, but not as.
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:45 pm
Lew
I’m the same way about managers and stuff, it’s hard to make me be critical, only thing Bobby Cox did that drove me nuts was keeping Greg Norton around the whole season, now Fredi is easily doing head scratching moves. I didn’t start watching baseball until around 1997 so I was just a kid and wouldn’t notice and thing Cox did that was head scratching lol
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:46 pm
I have decided I am going to eat nothing but ice cream today
Snotboogie
April 15th, 2012
12:46 pm
even with hair, he ain’t got much hair
That’s why he is the “hair apparent” as far as the Braves are concerned.
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:47 pm
Bravesgrl4life-
I think, sadly, the Mac-with-hair ship has sailed
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:47 pm
speaking of Fredi’s decisions, I didn’t quite get his subbing Wilson for Pastornicky during a tie game Friday night when he already was short a bench player (Chipper unavailable).
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:48 pm
except his hair ain’t all that apparent even at the best of times…
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:48 pm
Lawton-
Chipper was available to hit last night- and Wilson was brought in, as he often will be, for defensive reasons
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
12:49 pm
Oh, BMac’s hair was SO cute!! He’s still cute now, of course, but with hair…yeah, totally…
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
hey, cab. I was referring to Friday night. Wilson came in to play SS when the game was 8-8.
George
April 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
coolstandings.com only gives us a 25.2% chance of making playoffs. I have not heard of that site before today, ESPN use’s thier numbers on thier standing page. I am going back to coolstanding and see if I can find out how they get thier % numbers.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
cabravesfan I think, sadly, the Mac-with-hair ship has sailed
Yes, sad, indeed…these days are over: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/brian-mccann-of-the-atlanta-braves-looks-on-against-the-san-news-photo/81081927
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
Lawton-
Ah, sorry. Still, Wilson is going to play a lot of close late innings, because of his glove
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
I don’t quite know what to make of a lot of Fredi’s ideas, but since you can’t really prove that kinda stuff does or doesn’t affect the W-L column, I mostly just try to hunker down and bear it…
brian
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
I like the navy uni’s actually as I do all the Braves uniforms. I don’t think I could watch the red ones every day but on Sunday home games they are perfect. I love the unis worn yesterday.
My favorite hat is the Navy road hat.
Actually as long as the Braves are playing well I could care less what uniforms they are wearing. Come to think of it, when they are playing poorly, which uni’s they are wearing is the least of my concerns as well
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
Oh, I know, poor Mac one of those guys that lost the hair wayyy to early.
But he’s still a cutie-pie 
George
April 15th, 2012
12:51 pm
cab
The whole day? just ice cream?
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
Awwww! I miss the sticking up fluff!
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
Not that there’s anything wrong with this picture:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/craig-kimbrel-and-brian-mccann-of-the-atlanta-braves-news-photo/142905808
That has computer-wallpaper material…
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
Cab-
agreed. I have no problem with Fredi using him as a defensive sub with leads late in the game.
DS1
April 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
I have left the “Giving Fredi some Latitude” room and moved over to the “I’m Watching You Buddy” room.
So far, he has not impressed me much with some of his decision making; primarily in lineup and bullpen usage.
But I can also state that FW or no one else from the front office have called seeking my suggestions either. A little disappointing, considering what I blind, kool aid drinking homer that I am.
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
George-
That’s the idea
JasonInFL
April 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
Welcome to over .500 ball after today folks!
brian
April 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
nothing wrong with a guy losing some hair ladies!! I think we all would lose a lot of hair being in hats and catcher masks 9 months or more of the year
and people wonder why guys get a complex about it……………
DS1
April 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
Ice Cream and Zaxby’s chicken. That sounds like a good Sunday menu.
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:54 pm
DS1-
The Front office is too busy trying to track down Larry so they can learn from his expertise…
ChattTownBrian (CTB)
April 15th, 2012
12:54 pm
I take Glavine was talking about Yunel Escobar
nolie
April 15th, 2012
12:55 pm
don’t be too disappointed Wayne, they call me all the time and I can tel that its a PITA answering the phone every inning during a game…..
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:55 pm
brian-
I have no problem with Mac’s current fuzz…but I do miss his fluffy blondness
DS1-
It’ll be ice cream and steak for me
George
April 15th, 2012
12:55 pm
Could we all get together and by FREDI of town? Send him to WAS to manage them so they won’t run away with 1st place.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
12:55 pm
bravesgrl4life poor Mac one of those guys that lost the hair wayyy to early.
Yeah…was weird how it just kinda disappeared all of the sudden…
cabravesfan Awwww! I miss the sticking up fluff!
Me, too!!
Dude had the best hat-hair… 
DS1
April 15th, 2012
12:56 pm
Hair and uniform choices are way overrated. I have most of my hair, but it is sadly not my youthful dark brown anymore. And I could care less what uni’s the team wears each game.
ChattTownBrian (CTB)
April 15th, 2012
12:56 pm
Juan Francisco wears his hat to the side and wears what looks to be pajamas … does he get botted out of the ATL too?
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:56 pm
Also, just to show that I do think Bald can be Beautiful, Huddy is WAAY hotter bald then he ever was when he had hair
JasonInFL
April 15th, 2012
12:56 pm
CAB, what flavor(s)?
George
April 15th, 2012
12:57 pm
[MENT TO READ] “buy FREDII a bus ticket out of town”
VaBravesFan
April 15th, 2012
12:57 pm
Were throwing some chicken on the grill here.
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
12:58 pm
Jason-
Currently there is a container of Mocha Almond Fudge in my freezer
Powder Blue
April 15th, 2012
12:58 pm
Francisco apparently inherited Melky’s old unis.
DS1
April 15th, 2012
12:58 pm
I’m happy that it looks like we will miss Niese in the upcoming Mets series. He pitched another gem last night.
Kat
April 15th, 2012
1:00 pm
Palmer Fralick .. doesn’t the starting pitcher choose which color they wear when they are away? Or something like that.?
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
1:01 pm
Kat-
yes- starting pitcher gets to choose the uniform on the road
JasonInFL
April 15th, 2012
1:01 pm
CAB, nice! I will have to live vicariously through your ice-cream eating, so keep me posted.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:02 pm
I’m a B&J’s FishFood kinda guy
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
1:02 pm
Braves Live! Means game is only half an hour away
George
April 15th, 2012
1:02 pm
Breyers coffee ice cream sounds good to me.
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
1:03 pm
Jason-
I may have to reevaluate, given that I see my trainer tomorrow morning and she always asks what I ate over the weekend. “Ice Cream” would probably not bode well for my workout
George
April 15th, 2012
1:04 pm
hey bravesgrl
You got tv today. Thats great.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
cabravesfan—
I’ve never really seen Timmy with hair without a hat on…but I can’t picture him with hair…
Some guys do look very nice bald. Both my Grandpas are bald!…
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
so just fib a bit
JasonInFL
April 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
Yeah, I have been out of action for a week with some lower back issues…get test results back Tuesday to see if it is sciatic, muscular, or worse and disc related. I endulged last night on some ice cream myself…one of my many weaknesses. So, now, I am really hoping I get the clearance to get back to the gym soon!
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
McFann-
There are some OLD pics of Huddy out there, back when he was with the A’s…
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:07 pm
and just think, Yul Brynner started it all…..
Lawton
April 15th, 2012
1:08 pm
watching Kyle Drabek take the mound for the Jays as an appetizer for Braves-Brewers…….
Jerry
April 15th, 2012
1:10 pm
In reference to Freddie Freeman, he will come around much like he did last year. At the moment, he is drastically upper cutting with his swing, but he will level it out. Until then, I would probably be in favor of getting him out of the #3 hole and replace him with Heyward. I’m really impressed how Heyward is responding after his sophomore year and hope he continues to get better.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:11 pm
as I recall even when Tim had hair it was very short and mostly on the top of his head
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
1:12 pm
Yes, I do, George. Since next week (at least the latter half) the games are all late ones, I wouldn’t be able to watch much anyway, but Dish is on a short leash. Hubby’s going to see if we’ve got an antenna in our stash of stuff and if so, see if we can hook it up. I’d just need to buy a converter, because I know we haven’t had anything like that since the digital TV age started.
Jeff R
April 15th, 2012
1:13 pm
Both Freeman and Heyward are getting pitched in.
Yep. Pitchers know to jam Heyward. Hitting the inside pitch has been his biggest challenge. That’s where Heyward still needs to make his most important adjustment.
Woody Woodward
April 15th, 2012
1:13 pm
He was a brave for just a shrt time, but Joe Pepitone has to be on the all time braves hair team.
http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/ootp-mods-rosters-photos-quick-starts/184046-gambo-t_wil1-photopack-431.html
George
April 15th, 2012
1:13 pm
I just looked, coolstandings use’s the Bill James system to get thier % of a ream makeing playoffs. Shaun would like that.
bravesgrl4life
April 15th, 2012
1:15 pm
Beachy is pretty
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:16 pm
while Bill James is a hero of mine, much of what Shaun preaches here is not Bill’s stuff
Powder Blue
April 15th, 2012
1:16 pm
Joe Pepitone. Didn’t he design Central Park?
George
April 15th, 2012
1:17 pm
Jeff R 1:15
Not a JASON fan , but yup if he can extend his arms look out the ball could fly a long way
cabravesfan
April 15th, 2012
1:17 pm
Bravesgrl4life-
Ummm, Beachy is slightly more than just “pretty”.
Jerry
April 15th, 2012
1:17 pm
Hey Wayne, are you still going to the game on Monday? I won $1000 on a scratchoff the other day and my first thought was to pay someone to work for me so that I could join you guys. But, my supervisors would not allow it. Oh well, I tried.
George
April 15th, 2012
1:19 pm
Sorry nolee I thought Shaun used Bill James stuff.
nolie
April 15th, 2012
1:19 pm
purty is as purty does, pitch 7 good innings and even I might come aboard