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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,620 comments Add your comment
Lew
April 16th, 2012
11:46 am
Y’all can go screw yourselves.
CrαZy
April 16th, 2012
11:46 am
Lew
April 16th, 2012
11:47 am
Kind of hard to attribute sense tyo people who can’t even spell it.
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
11:47 am
Ah BS, Miami. Fredi bunted so much early last year it was mind boggling
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
11:48 am
Murph – Ah, yes…the daily culture clash on the ole blog. Can’t we all just get along?
Murph
April 16th, 2012
11:49 am
I love a good spelling contest as much as the next guy, but don’t really think that the blog is a place to debate it.
Can we stick to baseball and bbq please?
Lew
April 16th, 2012
11:50 am
As opposed to fake love trysts?
monty
April 16th, 2012
11:50 am
Yeh Bat, I agree with you. I’ve always felt Prado has hit out of position, since Bourne. He(and totally an opinion)but seems to be a guy who hits best when he doesn’t have to think about things too much(like protecting Bourne on a steal or trying to move him over), not saying anything bad about Prado,(love the guy) just that being a role player maybe more suitable to a Pastornicky type guy than Prado.
Murph
April 16th, 2012
11:52 am
I thought you were leaving Lew.
I don’t know why you’re angry at me about the soap opera. I didn’t create it. Take your hatred out on those people, not me.
TBrown
April 16th, 2012
11:52 am
Bunting a guy to third with no outs, I have no problem with. Bunting them to second with anyone other than a pitcher is sheer foolishness.
TBrown
April 16th, 2012
11:52 am
Bunting a guy to third with no outs, I have no problem with. Bunting them to second with anyone other than a pitcher is sheer foolishness.
CrαZy
April 16th, 2012
11:53 am
Really professor Lew it’s a F’in blog….
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
11:53 am
Bourne has to get on, for Prado to be worried about moving him over, etc. That would be a happy problam to have, on a regular basis.
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
11:55 am
Lew – I hope I’m not included in your Y’all comment…that would make me sad.
Lew
April 16th, 2012
11:55 am
Murph – Maybe I am being a bit touchy today, but thought that fiasco was your partiular brain child – if not – then sorry.
BOth my freaking hips hurt like holy hell (something I truly hope you kids learn about sometime) and the injection in my eye went to hell in a handbasket and I’;ve seen the eye doctor six times in the past week and a half (actually, not seen anything might be closer to the truth.
So yeah, I’m ticked off – but continual griping about a scored run and handwringing when you’ve just had a five game win streal doesn’t sit well, either.
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
11:55 am
but if Prado had made an out without advancing the runner people would’ve been on here complaining about not moving the runner to 3rd!!
The idiots would have. And I hope we aren’t all on here cheering for actions that result in the least amount of blog moaning from idiots. I’d rather tune into this blog and see it a total mess as a result of the Braves playing the game right, than tune in to find peace and calm and the Braves playing the game wrong.
And lastly, I don’t find this mornings discussion to be particularly brutal. We’re all trying to figure out if this is a player’s personal philosophy or the managers philosophy. Those have different degrees of potential season long consequences.
BravesRealFan
April 16th, 2012
11:55 am
stupid babel tower….lol.
I’m just saying most of the blog comments have been Heyward is a wash after the first few games in the season. Pending injury, He’s going to be a beast in this lineup. No matter where Scared Freddy puts him in the lineup.
I want to wait to see what the pundits would say when Freeman takes a little step back like Heyward did his 2nd year.
Oh and Freeman is not injured.
Go….
monty
April 16th, 2012
11:57 am
Be interested in knowing what Prado’s BA is in the 1st inning with Bourne on, compared to other times. Is Shaun out there?
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
11:59 am
Sorry to hear all that, Lew.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 16th, 2012
11:59 am
Bat, sounds like selective memory. Monty, on a legit playoff team, does Prado even hit in the top two-thirds of the order? No speed to be a legit leadoff, lacks the patience to be a constructive number two behind Bourn. No power to be a three, four, five, or six.
Love the guy, but right now we have no choice but to plug him in at two. Really!? Someone said Pastornicky at two!? Sadly, Prado’s more effective when Bourn DOESN’T get on base. Sad.
Murph
April 16th, 2012
12:02 pm
Lew, or anyone else who has issues over the blog soap opera from last week… if you doubt me, please, by all means, contact DOB and ask for IP info about the participants. I’m begging you to do so if for no other reason than to clear my name. I do not have a direct link to the man and know he would ignore my request either way.
Again, and for the last time, I played zero part in the soap opera other than to bring it to people’s attention. I was neither actor nor director in the play.
So please, if you doubt me, do some checking behind the scenes. As much fun as it was, as much as it helped put some smiles on the pout-pout faces that were all over this blog, I wish now that I had just let it be.
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:02 pm
Hope things start looking up for you Lew.
Does anybody else think it’s kinda funny that they are trying Roger Clemens for lying to congress? What the heck do they do to us all the time? What a waste of our taxpayers money. Not unlike the Bonds fiasco.
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
12:03 pm
I’ve always felt Prado has hit out of position, since Bourne. He(and totally an opinion)but seems to be a guy who hits best when he doesn’t have to think about things too much(like protecting Bourne on a steal or trying to move him over),
What I want him thinking about is, “When is this guy gonna throw me one I can beat on?” Bourn can take care of himself; heck, he has the green light anytime. All he has to do is let Prado know he’s going. Other than that, Prado’s only concern with Bourn should be not GIDP.
I get that Fredo might want to get the first run for some of his pitchers, purely from a psych standpoint. But, mercy, these guys have scored 40+ runs already, even with the dismal start in NY and Freeman/Uggla basically MIA. They aren’t the 3-2 offense of a year ago. I know that some posters here might be blind to that, but Fredo should know better by now.
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
12:03 pm
Selective memory, or working one
Seems to me there was a fair amount of debate here about Fredi’s small ball propensity
Bunts, hit and run, guys caught stealing on failed such by ten feet, like that
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:04 pm
I thought the entire Lee/Sam theatre was a load of horse hockey. I couldn’t understand why some folks were getting off on it to start with………………
Poppycock!
Lew
April 16th, 2012
12:04 pm
Murph – NO. I’ll take your word for it – thought I’d seen that you had instigated the whole thing – again, if you claim it is NOT so, I apologize.
Thanks Bat – They were thinking I had an infection that might lead to removal of the eye – now they aren’t so sure, and may only lose the sight – which at 20/250 (with scarring), isn’t much anyway.
monty
April 16th, 2012
12:05 pm
Yeh Lew, there’s a reason Old men are called grumpy. Hope you feel better sooner than later. Watch out for the doorbell rings.
zookey
April 16th, 2012
12:06 pm
Lew,Went to a Mercer Bears home game Sat,beat Belmont from Nashville 10-4.could not help but think of you.
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:07 pm
scoots
I have come to the conclusion that Fredi ain’t too sharp………….. I am definitely OFF the fence on him.
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
12:08 pm
Not me Muprh, I enjoyed it.
The only problem I had with it was that it degraded into pretty much p*rn and the ending, should have just let it fade away.
Lew
April 16th, 2012
12:08 pm
zookey – Go Bears!!!!! Can’t wait for the new football team.
monty – Yeah, I’m grumpier than a (Mercer) bear for sure. LUckily I have no doorbell and am far enoiugh off of the main drag that only Jehova’s witnesses show up – twice a year. They were here a couple weeks ago so no one left to chase off of my lawn.
Danga
April 16th, 2012
12:10 pm
What I want him thinking about is, “When is this guy gonna throw me one I can beat on?”
Absolutely. Dude can and should swing the bat.
Danga
April 16th, 2012
12:11 pm
I thought the entire Lee/Sam theatre was a load of horse hockey.
I thought it was luv. sigh.
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
12:11 pm
Lew – Sorry to hear about the hips, and especially the eye, my friend. I’ll send all my good thoughts your way.
Lew
April 16th, 2012
12:12 pm
Thanks raleighbraves.
Fols
April 16th, 2012
12:14 pm
You guys won’t be saying that about Lee/Sam in the fall.
We’re going to look back at that miserable 0-4 start and wonder, how did we end up in the World Series?
Was it Constanza? Chipper’s return? Pitching past the 5th inning? Bunting to score a little small ball?
No…it was Lee/Sam.
veer
April 16th, 2012
12:16 pm
After an 0-4 start many fans here thought that this would be a long summer however with 5 straight wins, I think many fans here belive we can atleast compete well into September fighting for the final wildcard position.
Heyward has been the key so far this season.
Uggla and Freeman need to pick their game up.
Medlin needs to strike a batter out this season.
He average 0 k per 9ip for the year.
I wouldn’t trust him in high pressure situation if the guy doesn’t have the ablity to strike anyone out
monty
April 16th, 2012
12:16 pm
Prado is the consummate “team guy”. Not a selfish bone in his body. May cause him to not look for “one to beat on.” He needs to “swing away, like in Signs.
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
12:17 pm
TNPaul – Just saying…Your definition of “idiots” and playing the game “the right way” are YOUR opinion…doesn’t make it right. Oposing opinions don’t make people “idiots”. Of course, I’m quite sure that you and Shaun will use stats to prove me wrong.
I will say that Fredi’s move are certainly subject to review, and even “second guessing”….but there are many here who will never give him credit for ANY decision, no matter what it is, or what the results.
Murph
April 16th, 2012
12:17 pm
No…it was Lee/Sam.
The Rally Stripper… I wonder if the Braves will immortalize her the way the Cards did with the Rally Squirrel?
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:18 pm
veer
We don’t have any pitchers named “Medlin”, OK.
I still can’t believe some folks can’t spell his name after the past 3 years…………
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
12:20 pm
Veer – Yeah, MedlEn not getting a strikeout is what’s really wrong with this team. Get him going, and we might win ‘em all. (roll of eyes).
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
12:21 pm
The Rally Stripper
OK, now this is the type of thing I can go with.
BravePack(FreeFan)
April 16th, 2012
12:21 pm
BravesRealFan
April 16th, 2012
11:55 am
stupid babel tower….lol.
I’m just saying most of the blog comments have been Heyward is a wash after the first few games in the season. Pending injury, He’s going to be a beast in this lineup. No matter where Scared Freddy puts him in the lineup.
I want to wait to see what the pundits would say when Freeman takes a little step back like Heyward did his 2nd year.
Oh and Freeman is not injured.
Go….
In case you didn’t notice Freeman is hitting the ball well just at players. He always starts slow every year no matter where he’s been. I have no doubt he will finish with more power and at least as good an average as last year. Freeman will be fine…don’t you worry and let’s enjoy this 5 game win streak hoping to make it 8 against the Mets.
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:22 pm
scoots
Dang it, don’t encourage them………….
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
12:25 pm
Wayne, you’ve living in Utah too long, if you can’t get a little excited about a Rally Stripper, LOL.
Squirrels? Balderdash!
Danga
April 16th, 2012
12:27 pm
Medlin needs to strike a batter out this season.
Relax. He has yet to even pitch 9 innings this season. He has averaged close to 7 k/9 for his career.
DS1
April 16th, 2012
12:28 pm
Looks like it’s too late………………
Later folks. Heading off in the direction of ATL. What time does the gates open for the game? I’m planning to be an early bird today. Damn rain better stay away!
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
12:29 pm
Have fun, Wayne. Bring us in a winner
George
April 16th, 2012
12:30 pm
Hi y’all
Great the BRAVES are winning , but it isn’t FREDI that is doing it. We still need to get money together to buy him a bus ticket out of town, as far away as possable. He will ruin our pitchers. On another note don’t worry about FREDDY , he aways starts slow.
flange1
April 16th, 2012
12:30 pm
Lew,
Good luck with the eye! Hopefully all will quieten and no surgery will be needed.
Feel better!
MiaBchBravesFan
April 16th, 2012
12:37 pm
“They aren’t the 3-2 offense of a year ago.” – ncscoots
Oooooooh, man. Yes they are. I WILL remind you of this quote when things start going back to the median with this ballclub.
George
April 16th, 2012
12:40 pm
AWW 40% chance of rain this evening at THE TED.
unbelievable
April 16th, 2012
12:40 pm
This made my day, pretty funny. Based on Fredi’s decision making.
http://i.imgur.com/RV9Am.jpg
Ease
April 16th, 2012
12:41 pm
Great the BRAVES are winning , but it isn’t FREDI that is doing it.
George is absolutely correct…Fredi has yet to play in a single game.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
12:44 pm
What does “playing the game the right way” even mean? It kind of losses it’s meaning at the major league level to a large degree because major leaguers know how to play the game the right way and are going to do so an overwhelming majority of the time they are on the field. Major league games typically aren’t contests of playing the game the “right” way.
Murph
April 16th, 2012
12:46 pm
Shaun, I wanted to take a second to publicly apologize for all the mean things I’ve ever said to you. I had a bit of an epiphany this weekend when I realized that I like reading your posts more than nolie’s, and wanted to make sure you knew that.
Sorry.
Danga
April 16th, 2012
12:47 pm
Nice one unbelievable. lol Now which one of you guys created that?
David O'Brien
April 16th, 2012
12:48 pm
Chad Durbin allowed a home run in seven consecutive appearances w/ Indians and Braves going back to Sept. 14, 2011.
David O'Brien
April 16th, 2012
12:49 pm
Heyward is 7-for-14 with two homers, two walks and only one strikeout in his past four games. He’s 5-for-14 vs. lefties this season with a double, homer and four RBIs.
He’s also 4-for-10 with a HR against tonight’s Mets starter, Dillon Gee
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
12:49 pm
I will say that Fredi’s move are certainly subject to review, and even “second guessing”….but there are many here who will never give him credit for ANY decision, no matter what it is, or what the results.
RBF, that is not I. And bunting in the first inning with a runner on second and no outs requires no stats to highlight its ridiculousness. The presence of the following 8 innings does that well enough.
Murph
April 16th, 2012
12:52 pm
Chad Durbin allowed a home run in seven consecutive appearances w/ Indians and Braves going back to Sept. 14, 2011.
Gotta think he’s doing something to tip his pitches…
Might be when he gets the sign and yells out “FASTBALL? OK!”.
Bat Masterson
April 16th, 2012
12:52 pm
Chad Durbin allowed a home run in seven consecutive appearances w/ Indians and Braves going back to Sept. 14, 2011.
Whoa, if last nights research is accurate that’s a new record.
Congrats, Durbin
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
12:53 pm
What does “playing the game the right way” even mean? It kind of losses it’s meaning at the major league level to a large degree because major leaguers know how to play the game the right way and are going to do so an overwhelming majority of the time they are on the field. Major league games typically aren’t contests of playing the game the “right” way.
“If OBP is so important how come they don’t put it on the score board?” –Jeff Francoeur, Major League Player.
Sometimes Payne you give all the credit in the world to a guy playing baseball, then come back and take it all away. You know what “playing the game right” means just as much as most everyone else.
Jimmy
April 16th, 2012
12:56 pm
Murph is on step eight, I see.
Roman Gal
April 16th, 2012
12:56 pm
I want to wait to see what the pundits would say when Freeman takes a little step back like Heyward did his 2nd year.
Freeman always starts off slowly. It’s usually been attributed to the fact that he was playing at a new/higher level; maybe it’s just his thang.
Danga
April 16th, 2012
12:59 pm
Leave it to the Gal to come in with a little insight and to do it pleasantly.
unbelievable
April 16th, 2012
1:04 pm
ajcbraves: Chad Durbin allowed a home run in seven consecutive appearances w/ #Indians and #Braves going back to Sept. 14, 2011
unbelievable
April 16th, 2012
1:04 pm
lol
George
April 16th, 2012
1:04 pm
Don’t worry about FREDDY he will be fine.
cabravesfan
April 16th, 2012
1:06 pm
morning, blog
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:10 pm
TennesseePaul, let me clarify. I understand I was sort of vague.
I don’t know that there is a “right” way to play the game. I a guy is good enough to reach the big leagues, he probably plays the game the right way.
I don’t think a guy like Francoeur could drastically hone his approach and his skills to become vastly better. I think he’s playing the game as “right” as he can, or as right as he thinks he can.
I think of someone like Jose Bautista. Before he had his monster seasons, I don’t think he was playing the game the wrong way. I believe he was playing it as well as he could and as “right” as he thought he could play it. It took some extreme self-education and getting with the right coaches and people to tap into his full potential. But I wouldn’t say he all of the sudden learned to play the game the “right” way and that he wasn’t a winning player before.
Mixxo
April 16th, 2012
1:13 pm
Afternoon Cab.
Lets go for 6 tonight!
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
1:20 pm
I think he’s playing the game as “right” as he can, or as right as he thinks he can.
OK. So I see you’re reading of the phrase “right way” is entirely different.
Regardless as to the overall skill of the player, all players can learn to “play the game right”… that is, following a code of ethics while on the field, knowing which base to throw the ball to, always hit your cut-off man, and of course, never bunt with a runner on second, no outs, in the first inning.
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
1:21 pm
You know what “playing the game right” means just as much as most everyone else.
TennPaul, that is not a conversation that is ever going to produce any satisfaction, LOL.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:23 pm
I want to wait to see what the pundits would say when Freeman takes a little step back like Heyward did his 2nd year.
Freeman will be fine. I think most avid fans and analyst types (whether we’re talking about scouting or statistical or people with their feet in both worlds) understand that Freeman played a little bit over his head last season and that he will still be a solid major leaguer this season.
The perception of Heyward is just different because his 2011 season looked more like what many thought his 2010 would look. In other words, the realistic expectation coming in to 2010 for Heyward was probably holding his own in the big leagues. He exceeded those expectation so when he merely held his own in 2011, it was perceived as a disaster (which it sort of was in terms of value to the Braves but not really in terms of Heyward’s development, since a 95+ OPS from a 21-year-old isn’t all that shocking).
The reaction is going to be different when an uber-prospect who had a near ROY season falls off the next season than when a player who is merely supposed to be solid falls off from his near ROY season in which he probably played a bit over his head.
I’m thinking both players will be fine and, barring major injuries to either of those two, if the Braves win something like 82 games instead of 90, Freeman or Heyward won’t be the first places to look for reasons as to why.
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
I think most avid fans and analyst types…understand that Freeman played a little bit over his head last season
You have the most astonishing ability to make me laugh out loud, sometimes. Seriously.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
TennesseePaul, I came in to the “playing the game the right way” conversation and probably didn’t see the entire context. I’m talking more of players you would tell your kids to watch because they play the game “the right way.” Not many players consistently play the game the wrong way and make it to the majors.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:37 pm
ncscoots, yes. My assessment of Freeman is such a disastrous one, right?
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
1:38 pm
OK, TNPaul, I now see the light. You are solely the most informed man amoung us, and your judgement about “the right way ” to play the game, exceeds that of our major league manager, the organization that he answers to, and any and all contributers to this blog. I will never question your wisdom again, but will now publicly acknowledge that you are all-knowing about all things baseball.
raleighbravefan
April 16th, 2012
1:42 pm
TNPaul – Oh, and I would NEVER call you an idiot….(arrogant, maybe).
Fish Bisch
April 16th, 2012
1:47 pm
The Barves should’ve won 7-1 yesterday. Durbin shouldn’t even sniff the mound unless the braves are down by 5 or more. Did Turdbin get credit for a save yesterday?
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
1:49 pm
My assessment of Freeman is such a disastrous one, right?
I’m not sure that word means what you think it means.
No, “disastrous” is not the adjective I would have chosen. “Ill-advised”, “unfounded”, something like that, I imagine.
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
1:50 pm
Fish, who owns us today?
jeffrey d
April 16th, 2012
1:51 pm
Durbin shouldn’t even sniff the mound
Why would Durbin sniff the mound?
Danga
April 16th, 2012
1:52 pm
Why would Durbin sniff the mound?
I would rather him sniff it than pitch off of it.
cabravesfan
April 16th, 2012
1:53 pm
No, Durbin did not get credit for a save…
jeffrey d
April 16th, 2012
1:55 pm
I would rather him sniff it than pitch off of it.
That’d look odd. Fredi send him out of the bullpen to get on all fours and sniff the mound for a minute, then he calls for Medlen to replace him.
Fish Bisch
April 16th, 2012
1:55 pm
Scoots, that would be Dillongee. He will play us like a Puppeteer. He brings in a lifetime miniscule 3.46 ERA against us and is crafty good.
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
RBF, Well, that’s very gratifying. I will count you among my minions. When the end comes near you and your household shall be protected. Let this seal of approval be placed upon your beer koozies and coasters.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
Fish Bisch, huh? Why not use Durbin if they are up by 5 or more?
Not to be rude, but have you used Google or just gone to ESPN and checked the box score to see if Durbin got a save?
He did not. He didn’t enter the game with his team leading by 3 runs or fewer; didn’t enter with the tying run at bat, on base or on deck while also finishing it with his team winning the game….nor did he pick up a save with one of those saves in which he pitches effectively for 3 innings or whatever.
ncscoots
April 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
I would rather him sniff it than pitch off of it.
Mound-sniffers and bat-lickers…no room for ‘em in baseball. Even the ACLU wwouldn’t file a suit over the right to sniff and/or lick.
Mixxo
April 16th, 2012
1:57 pm
I leik 2 sniff stuff.
Mixxo
April 16th, 2012
1:58 pm
“Big Game” James is owning the Sawx!
Fish Bisch
April 16th, 2012
1:58 pm
Shaun, Cab politely told me quicker than I could’ve googled. He didn’t berate me with a 3 paragraph response.
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
1:58 pm
that would be Dillongee
So, where supposed to say his full name real fast. Crap! I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.
Shaun
April 16th, 2012
1:59 pm
ncscoots, so I guess you would be pretty shocked to see Freeman take a bit of a step back this season compared to last? I don’t think most people would.
jeffrey d
April 16th, 2012
1:59 pm
But 2 of those paragraphs were just 1 sentence
TennesseePaul
April 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
Not to be rude, but have you used Google or just gone to ESPN and checked the box score to see if Durbin got a save?
Well to be fair, Payne, the way Durbin has pitched, he wouldn’t have earned a save even in a save situation. A loss, yes. But not a save.
Fish Bisch
April 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
I love Shields. He will be the AL cy this year.