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Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,192 comments Add your comment
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
9:54 am
Seems like the REDS are the NL Central version of the NATS for the Bravos
haggard
May 24th, 2012
9:55 am
David O’Brien
Thought of you when I saw the lineup for a show at the Tuscaloosa Ampitheater: Jamey Johnson and Merle Haggard on August 11th, the day after he appears at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
As you predicted back in January, he bounced back in great shape from the double pneumonia / colon polyp removal / stomach ulcers ,(he was one sick man when he had to cancel seven minutes prior to the concert that evening of January 17th), and took the stage of the Macon Auditorium in front of a sold out house–including seventy-five guests from the Macon Medical Center.
Three songs into the show, he stopped to say, ““I wound up here in the hospital several days with you. I forgot how many, they had me under some really good dope, Macon’s got the best dope in the hospital I’ve ever seen. I thought I’d died and gone to Jamaica.”
Earlier in the afternoon things sounded good as the band moved through its’ sound check and, as Haggard took the stage and launched into “Ramblin’ Fever”, I turned to look at my friend and we both nodded in unison. He was back in fine form; healed up, bending notes on the Telecaster and singing strongly with a presence of a man who couldn’t possibly be seventy-five years old. Wish you could have been there.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
May 24th, 2012
9:55 am
DOB Braves have hit .128 and totaled 5 runs (4 home runs) in first 3 games of this 4-game series at Cincy….
I knew they should have postponed the rest of the series…
MFin04
May 24th, 2012
9:55 am
Just finished the game…that loss is on Tommy Hanson, the guy has to figure out an out pitch. You can’t go 0-2 on guys and then throw pitches 2 feet outside the strike zone and expect for major leaguers to give you an out. Then he nibbles, gives up a walk, a hit, or a decently hit ball in play. You can’t win pitching like that. He hardly ever seems in control of a hitter.
He had the game 1-0, just didn’t have an out pitch. Gotta work on that.
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
9:58 am
MFin04: Really? I know he might not have a great out pitch, but he went 6 innings, gave up 1 run, and could have gone longer if the Braves didn’t have a chance to score in the 7th.
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
10:01 am
Get well soon, fellas: #Braves are 19-5 w/ Chipper Jones starting, 7-14 without him. Atl is 21-13 when Brian McCann starts, 5-6 without him.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
May 24th, 2012
10:01 am
Game was on the offense, no doubt. Your pitchers goes 6 innings only giving up one run, you really oughta be able to win…
But, that’s the way it goes in the world of baseball…
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
10:01 am
from Jim Powell
ncscoots
May 24th, 2012
10:02 am
with 9SB, 2CS, 15BB, 15K.
The fifteen walks are probably the most encouraging of all Simmons’ stats. He showed last year that he could make contact, but he didn’t show much plate discipline. A walk rate under 6% last year, nearly 10% this year. Still not great for a guy with no pop, but a serious improvement.
ncscoots
May 24th, 2012
10:04 am
the guy has to figure out an out pitch
it appears you have never seen Hanson throw a curve or slider.
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
10:04 am
not baseball-related, but encouraging news about aimee copeland
Now on WSB-Encouraging news concerning Aimee Copeland’s condition. She is now able to sit up.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:04 am
It would take some really, really, really heavy drugs in order to confuse Macon with Jamaica.
David O'Brien
May 24th, 2012
10:05 am
Reds will present one of the special Chipper tribute bases to Chipper before tonight’s series finale.
haggard
May 24th, 2012
10:06 am
Lew @ 10:04
LOL-twice !
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:07 am
hag – The smell of the place alone would clue anyone not heavily drugged to the difference. Humidity might be the same, though.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:08 am
Good to see that Chipper will end up with at least one total base this series.
Joe 12-Pack
May 24th, 2012
10:09 am
O SOLO MIO!
What is with all the solo home runs given up?
cricket
May 24th, 2012
10:13 am
yesterday’s loss off course was on offense but did anyone else get the feeling that brandon phillips was pitched to with almost Bondsque respect? felt like he was barely challenged.
DAP
May 24th, 2012
10:14 am
MFin04 Just finished the game…that loss is on Tommy Hanson,
interesting take.
Murph
May 24th, 2012
10:15 am
so, he’ll bat at 7 instead of 8?
Yeah, probably in front of Heyward.
Someone has to hit in the lower part of the order. Not everyone on the team is going to be a cleanup hitter, ya know.
Murph
May 24th, 2012
10:15 am
Good to see that Chipper will end up with at least one total base this series.
LOL
monty
May 24th, 2012
10:15 am
Shame on Hanson for allowing a run, shame,shame shame, one day he’ll learn how to shut out teams everytime. Then he will be a good pitcher. RIght MFIN?
cricket
May 24th, 2012
10:16 am
Good to see that Chipper will end up with at least one total base this series.
btw, one base to chipper, one to braves and one is going to reds’ HOF. guess getting into reds’ HOF is easier than getting into chipper’s high school’s HOF.
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
10:16 am
Good to see that Chipper will end up with at least one total base this series.
Bada Bing! Nice.
Ease
May 24th, 2012
10:16 am
He had the game 1-0, just didn’t have an out pitch. Gotta work on that.
Got to introduce MFin04 to uga-brave…cream to his coffee it seems…
monty
May 24th, 2012
10:17 am
So, does Greg Walker, get the boot soon? LOL!
Ease
May 24th, 2012
10:17 am
And Lew wins the Wurlitzer…
cricket
May 24th, 2012
10:17 am
if hanson was as good a hitter as Leake, he woulda won yesterday..
phil
May 24th, 2012
10:17 am
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:04 am
It would take some really, really, really heavy drugs in order to confuse Macon with Jamaica.
*************
I haven’t been to Jamaica, have no interest in going and don’t mess with drugs but you have to be exactly right!! lol
phil
May 24th, 2012
10:20 am
cricket’s right about Hanson’s hitting….
I say send him to Gwinnett for 2 months to get that stroke going….lol
haggard
May 24th, 2012
10:21 am
Lew @ 10:08
Feel free to post that comment again. You deserve to get a little more mileage out of that one.
keylargo
May 24th, 2012
10:21 am
The smell of the place alone would clue anyone not heavily drugged to the difference. Humidity might be the same, though.
Jamaica usually has a nice ocean breeze.
Macon usually has a 110 degree breeze from South Alabama.
Arkansas Transplant
May 24th, 2012
10:22 am
Our offense has sure looked good over the past 10 games or so.
monty
May 24th, 2012
10:25 am
I still think we need a stronger starting rotation. Minor and Delgado will prolly bring a .333 winning % in games they pitch. But there will always be games like last nite where you get a great performance from one of the the big 3 and still lose. I think the better teams will get better performances from their 4 and 5 guys than the Braves will.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:27 am
hag – Didn’t mean it as a rip on Chipper, but it was just too good to pass up. Hope he gets a few more today.
Arkansas Transplant
May 24th, 2012
10:32 am
Any word on Oswalt lately?
cricket
May 24th, 2012
10:37 am
Any word on Oswalt lately?
J-Man, you are up
tiger297
May 24th, 2012
10:48 am
i can almost smell that seabreeze…
abeeewright
May 24th, 2012
10:49 am
Last year, Smoltz called the NL East the ‘Chutes and Ladders division. Looks like that will be even more true in 2012.
Kind of bummed that the Braves are on a “break,” but, they’ll get ‘r together pretty soon. This 20 games in 20 days and the fact that they “don’t like Mondays” should have been expected to take its toll.
I was soooo expecting them to score 7 runs per game for the rest of the year. Can’t believe that didn’t happen.
Arkansas Transplant
May 24th, 2012
10:53 am
score 7 runs per game for the rest of the year.
I was kind of hoping for 7 hits a game for the rest of the year.
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
10:55 am
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
In Brandon Beachy’s last 18 starts, dating back to last August, he’s allowed one home run with a runner (or more) on base.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
10:56 am
tiger – And in Macon you smell pulp mill.
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
11:03 am
Tyler Kepner @TylerKepner
Kevin Millwood: one ER in his last 22 innings. Released last year by Yanks and Red Sox.
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
11:06 am
A little something for the former No More Bobby:
Waffle House @WaffleHouse
Only if you starred in it! RT @PeterMoylan: I know I’m not alone but I would totally watch a reality TV show based on wafflehouse drama.
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
11:07 am
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
Dramatic change in ‘pen usage for ATL in 2012: After 45 games in ‘12, Kimbrel has 8 fewer appearances, Venters, O’Flaherty 7 less than ‘11.
tiger297
May 24th, 2012
11:10 am
lew – im just thinking about my trip to destin – relation to the jamacia/macon discussion is purely coincidence
Lew
May 24th, 2012
11:15 am
tiger – Enjoy the Florida breeze. In Macon they shot it.
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
11:15 am
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
Dramatic change in ‘pen usage for ATL in 2012: After 45 games in ‘12, Kimbrel has 8 fewer appearances, Venters, O’Flaherty 7 less than ‘11.
But Medlen is being wasted in the ‘pen. Put him in the rotation!!!!!
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:23 am
What good is resting Kimbrel, Venters and O’Flaherty more if the Braves aren’t going to use either of those three when they can’t afford a single run to score or they lose the game? Bullpen usage is all messed up because of the stupid save rule.
If a pitcher can’t just pitch when he’s called upon, without worrying about whether it’s a save situation or not, he shouldn’t be close to a major league team.
Guess what? I think major league pitchers can pitch when called upon, no matter the situation. If they fail, it’s not because it is or isn’t a save situation. It’s because either they are no good in the first place or because they didn’t have it that day.
Many managers either don’t have the cojones to stand up to all the idiots who think making sure the closer gets saves is more critical than winning or they either think it themselves.
Eventually more and more fans and media members and perhaps more front offices will start to criticized the stupid conventions and managers will change. That day can’t get here soon enough.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
11:26 am
Shaun – WTF does that have to do with resting pitchers who were overworked and suffered from the overuse last year?
raleighbravefan
May 24th, 2012
11:27 am
Who shook Shaun’s cage? Now we will have a day of unending lessons on bullpen usage.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:28 am
How do you post on here from a phone?
Everytime I look on AJC from a phone it doesn’t show any comments? Any Idea’s??
Arkansas Transplant
May 24th, 2012
11:29 am
Shaun, I understand what your trying to convey but there will always be guys out there that the manager has more faith in in certain situations. And, you can’t just throw them out there day after day.
Ease
May 24th, 2012
11:30 am
Expert sighting…
raleighbravefan
May 24th, 2012
11:30 am
MF – Last night was Hanson’s fault? Really.
You just accomplished the impossible. You made it so mitchell’s rants were not the most rediculous posts of the last 12 hours.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:31 am
Now we will have a day of unending lessons on bullpen usage.
Would you rather discuss Oswalt? Or would you rather discuss Fred the idiot manager???
raleighbravefan
May 24th, 2012
11:32 am
Ease – “Expert sighting…”
Ex = a hasbeen
spirt = a big drip
Bat Masterson
May 24th, 2012
11:33 am
Crazy_
Don’t connect to the mobile site. Look for the regular AJC sports page.
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
11:33 am
CraZy,
Should be a link on the page that says “View Full Site.” That will take you to this format.
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:35 am
Lew, maybe very little, except that what good is resting them if you aren’t going to use them in the most critical of situations?
Oh, and I have little doubt Dusty Baker would have used Chapman in a tie game in the 9th in Atlanta.
Way past time for managers to ignore the save rule and for the media and fans to scrutinize managers more for managing to get their closers saves over trying to prevent runs and win. Instead many media members and fans eat up the idea that really good pitchers somehow either perform better for the last three outs or can’t perform well for the last three outs.
raleighbravefan
May 24th, 2012
11:36 am
CraZy – Actually, I was contemplating a rousing discussion on which stat is more meaningful, Wins by a pitcher vs individual RBI.
Either that, or the merrits of a properly constructed line-up.
David O'Brien
May 24th, 2012
11:39 am
Prado’s the one Brave who’s continued to hit during team’s slump: .463 (19-for-41) with seven extra-base hits, .521 OBP, .707 slugging in past 11 games
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:39 am
Shaun, I understand what your trying to convey but there will always be guys out there that the manager has more faith in in certain situations. And, you can’t just throw them out there day after day.
Arkansas Transplant, now this is hilarious. Because a team doesn’t want to throw their closer or set-up men in certain situations, they throw a guy like Christian Martinez in there when one run means a loss.
Would you rather discuss Oswalt? Or would you rather discuss Fred the idiot manager???
CrαZy, most managers are idiots when it comes to bullpen usage, thanks to this constructed idea that making sure a particular guy is available for saves is equal to winning ballgames. It’s not a Fredi problem. It’s an most-managers problem. It’s also a problem that either people don’t scrutinize this enough or they aren’t smart enough to realize this idea that saves are the priority over winning deserves a ton of scrutiny.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:40 am
Gonna be away from my computer for a few weeks in early June and all I’ll have is my phone…. So thanks Bat and Hillbilly!!
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:41 am
Actually the idea is more that making sure a certain pitcher is available for saves is more crucial than winning ballgames. In my last post I said managers think they are equal in importance. No. Saves for the closer is more important to most managers.
Murph
May 24th, 2012
11:44 am
Shaun, you really are wasting your breath here on the AJC blog. If you want to affect change, you should contact MLB.com and talk to them about writing an article on proper bullpen usage where people might actually see it.
And yes, I’m being serious.
Instead of getting all upset over things, try to do something about it. Given that you’re not likely to ever get a job in a front office or dugout, take your movement to a place where people involved with the sport will actually see what you have to say.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:47 am
most managers are idiots
And so are MOST bloggers…
It’s not a Fredi problem. It’s an most-managers problem.
My comment wasn’t meant to be serious… I was being sarcastic!! Even though I do think at times Fred can be a bit of an idiot.
Bat Masterson
May 24th, 2012
11:48 am
Sure thing, Crazy.
brian
May 24th, 2012
11:48 am
very nice outing by Zeke last night. Bethancourt seems to be the real deal as does Simmons.
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
11:50 am
No. Saves for the closer is more important to most managers.
Bull. S##t.
You’re a very intelligent man. I have a hard time believing that you actually think this is true.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:50 am
Not meant to be all bold!! Is that a McFann??
Fish Bisch
May 24th, 2012
11:51 am
Bat Prado Clean up tonight.
Ease
May 24th, 2012
11:51 am
Shaun, honest question…
How is it that you, with your superior knowledge of managerial strategy (at least on paper), that you have never attempted to get into baseball managing yourself? I believe that you once said that you were a pretty lousy baseball player and, as we know, most MLB managers were not successful players, so it would seem to be a natural fit. Don’t you think?
DAP
May 24th, 2012
11:53 am
Fredi was not trying to win the game last night. right shaun?
Lew
May 24th, 2012
11:53 am
Shaun – The proverbial one person in a marching platoon that’s out of step – but thinking everyone else should match their cadence to his.
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:53 am
Hillbilly, managers probably don’t consciously think this. They just buy in to this idea that certain really good pitchers either are only or aren’t at all capable of getting the last three outs of a game. Which really is “Bull. S##t.”
Shaun
May 24th, 2012
11:55 am
Lew, if you think I’m the only person who thinks managers should ignore the save rule when deciding which relievers to use, you are mistaken. Plenty of people are smart enough to realize the save rule has ruined bullpen usage.
CrαZy
May 24th, 2012
11:57 am
Fredi was not trying to win the game last night. right shaun?
Everytime was lose it’s because someone wasn’t trying to win!!! Imagine what could be possible if everyone would try!!
Lew
May 24th, 2012
11:58 am
Yeah Shaun – Whatever. “Everything I say can be justified by my own opinion.” Right?
Murph
May 24th, 2012
12:00 pm
I like baseball as it is… not so sure I’d like Shaun’s “ideal” version of the game all that much.
As a fan I like having a closer who is a total badass, who runs from the bullpen to the mound with AC/DC playing over the stadium speakers, who whips the crowd into a frenzy with K after K.
Sure, it might make more sense to use him in the 8th instead of the 9th in certain situations, but whatev. As a fan of the game I enjoy the spectacle of the closer, and will continue to do so while Shaun pulls out what little hair he has left, getting no enjoyment from the game whatsoever.
Baseball is a game. It should be fun… for those watching as much as those playing. Try to enjoy it once in a while, Shaun.
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
12:02 pm
I’m not going to argue whether or not it’s wise to use a closer in a tie game on the road. Honestly, I’m almost in agreement with you on that strategy. That’s not what I’m calling BS on. But you can’t possibly believe that any manager cares more about saves than wins. That’s absurd.
He may use that strategy because he believes it gives him a better chance to win (whether it’s a right or wrong strategy is beside MY point)
Maybe you worded your statement differently than what you meant, I don’t know. I just can’t imagine you would actually believe what you said.
Lew
May 24th, 2012
12:03 pm
Yeah – What Murph just said. So eloquently, too.
ncscoots
May 24th, 2012
12:04 pm
Plenty of people are smart enough to realize the save rule has ruined bullpen usage.
Thank the gods for them, then. I live for the day when the ignorant masses can fall to their kness, recognize their betters, and fall into lock-step behind the true wisdom of such smart folks.
That will finally turn the ignorant masses into lemmings nearing the caliber of yourself. It’ll be a great day.
David O'Brien
May 24th, 2012
12:06 pm
Check out new album “Mutt” by Cory Branan, which is several panels over if you click on this link below. The Springsteen/Petty influences have been mentioned by few critics, and they’re right. You can hear them all over most of the songs. First song is slow, then it picks up. Great stuff.
http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/11
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
12:08 pm
Only because the question was poised earlier:
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
Roy Oswalt on #orioles radar. #redsox #phillies #rangers others involved.
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
12:12 pm
Who can spot the issues with the Halladay bobblehead? They are very subtle:
http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11156987
Fish Bisch
May 24th, 2012
12:13 pm
So the oswalt talk can stop now since the Barves are not interested.
ncbravesfan90
May 24th, 2012
12:13 pm
Here’s the latest on Roy Oswalt, still hoping Wren can pull this off:
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Orioles have right-hander Roy Oswalt on their “radar.”
Oswalt was hoping to sign with the Cardinals or Rangers, but neither team has expressed serious interest and we’re now a quarter of the way through the 2012 season. So the free agent veteran is apparently beginning to consider other clubs. The Red Sox and Phillies are also thought to have some level of interest.
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
12:13 pm
I think Fredi used Martinez in that situation last night because he thought he could get through the bottom part of the order. I think it was a matchup thing, with Kimbrel being available for Cozart, Heisey, and Votto in the 10th…save situation or not.
Do you think if the Braves would have put up a 4 spot in the top of the 10th, he would have pitched Livan because it wasn’t a save situation? If you say that you think that, then I know you’re just trying to stir up a debate.
ncbravesfan90
May 24th, 2012
12:14 pm
Lets hope and pray that the “others” involved include the braves
Lew
May 24th, 2012
12:14 pm
Glove is on the wrong hand
Hugo Z Hackenbush
May 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
Shaun, even if Fredi subscribed to your bullpen usage beliefs, I don’t think he would’ve brought Kimbrel in for the ninth. It would’ve made more sense to reserve him for the Votto/Phillips/Bruce trio whenever they came up…
David O'Brien
May 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
ncscoots: your 12:04 comment just cracked me up. Thank you.
David O'Brien
May 24th, 2012
12:17 pm
I like baseball as it is… not so sure I’d like Shaun’s “ideal” version of the game all that much. — Murph
Agreed. And thankfully, we’ll not have to worry about that happening. Not in our lifetimes.
While we’re alive, safe to say human beings will still have a very heavy influence on how the game is played, taught, managed and chronicled for the masses (as opposed to the superior beings who are more equipped to dissect it via computer, without messy human emotions and such).
That said, I cringed when C. Martinez entered in the 9th inning. Seen it too many times. It’s one thing to not use your closer there, it’s another to use C. Mart. But after O’Flaherty faced only 1 batter, and Venters and Medlen had been used… Still, if you have a closer who never pitches more than one inning, tough to suddenly ask him to do so, especially in that ballpark.
I’d prefer to have my closer go more than one inning once in a while, go get used to getting 4, 5 or even 6 outs on occasion. But so few do anymore.
Venice Jim
May 24th, 2012
12:18 pm
Can’t fool an artist…
Hillbilly
May 24th, 2012
12:18 pm
Thank the gods for them, then. I live for the day when the ignorant masses can fall to their kness, recognize their betters, and fall into lock-step behind the true wisdom of such smart folks.
That will finally turn the ignorant masses into lemmings nearing the caliber of yourself. It’ll be a great day.
That will be a “Waiting For the Worms” type of moment for sure. Marching hammers and such…
Lew
May 24th, 2012
12:19 pm
Yep, I doubt Robot baseball would go over all that well. Now Cyborg baseball? Only if you got used to all the asterisks in the record book and all the writers who vote for the HOF…..
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 24th, 2012
12:19 pm
VJ: that looks really hard to pitch like that… if anyone could pitch like that, Doc Halladay would be that person do it.
cricket
May 24th, 2012
12:20 pm
Prado’s the one Brave who’s continued to hit during team’s slump
no team spirit. sit him one game to send a message….
Lew
May 24th, 2012
12:20 pm
VJ – Apparently they did. Not a mistake I’ve ever made on a baseball portrait, though.