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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
139 comments Add your comment
milo
May 24th, 2012
11:33 pm
Another guy with eye problems? Tired of hearing that already. This team dont have the right demeanor when Chipper is out of the lineup. There no one in that lineup that can lead the team besides Chipper.
Disgusted
May 24th, 2012
11:36 pm
Excuses Excuses. Fredi made a total Bozo of himself with those comments. Especially with the remarks on that disgracefull bum Johnny Venters who is useless, Venters is as useless as Heyward.
Patience my tail.
Rick
May 24th, 2012
11:41 pm
I don’t see any excuses?
Lisa
May 24th, 2012
11:43 pm
You can’t win without hitting and pitching, which we did neither in Cinncinati! Baseball is a simple game, you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball! Our team did not do any of this. Sad to be swept!
Tired of excuses!
May 24th, 2012
11:46 pm
Yeah, I know it’s a long season, and I know all about the “rough times” teams go through with their bats. But it’s time to man up and say it. We’re just not that good right now. How do you lose 4 games in a row to a pitching staff like the Reds have. Just look at their ERA’s. The Braves just made em’ all look like Cy Young candidates. I keep hearing about how they beat all these good pitchers like Price and Cueto. But, what good does it do if you lose to these bums.
rc35
May 24th, 2012
11:53 pm
Where is the fire? Who will step up and say, “Enough is enough?” Four in a row to the Reds? It’s time to step up, man up, and play up.
Mister Frisky
May 24th, 2012
11:55 pm
Lucy you got some splanin to do.Batting that over hyped underachieving RF in the 3 hole is grounds for instant termination in my book.Chipper you are a HOF er will all agree.We needed you starting 120 games this year I would be surprised if you start 90.Braves have no shot when you don’t start and get 4 at bats.Know you wanted to go out on your own terms and you have erned that.Maybe this was best for you but not the team as a whole.Bourn,Pastor,Prado after that I could give a bleep the rest are average to awful.
BRICKHEAD OKELLY
May 24th, 2012
11:58 pm
No more “Happy Hours” in Atlanta bars tonight after Reds made monkeys out of us 4 of 4. Seems like a blind squirel could have won one of those 4,but that’s baseball. Only a thousand games left
Daniel
May 24th, 2012
11:59 pm
Why is the reporter even asking about the park? The homer was a shot, and would have been out in Turner…
pcola braves fan
May 25th, 2012
12:07 am
I’m respecting Medlin even if he did give up the GS. There were no excuses, he told it like it is. I get tired of hearing the excuses of why we lost. Bottom line is that our bench players cannot play like the regulars. You also have two bench players hitting sub 200. That just isn’t very good depth.
TSauce
May 25th, 2012
12:07 am
That was horrible road trip! We went 2-5 on the road. Not good Fredi Gonzalez! The way he manages the bullpen is horrendous. Why on Earth is Fredi still starting Hinske? Hinske is a fag log! Look at his ERA for the month of May. His numbers have been going down ridiculously. Hinske defiantly needs to be traded. Get a package with him, Jurrjens, and possibly throw in McCan’t, Dan Struggla, Or Jason Fadeward. We desperately need another pitcher!
PoonPounder
May 25th, 2012
12:16 am
Enter your comments here
Durrtydogg
May 25th, 2012
12:26 am
Ive been asking for fire all year long. Tired of being the good guys, Get mad. Get pissed. And win. Stop the bloodclot crying!
Mister Frisky
May 25th, 2012
12:30 am
If Heyward can somehow raise his avg to a whopping .250 he needs to be packaged and shipped out asap.This guy is Brad Komminsk all over again a complete fraud.No one looks better in a uniform but has zero game.Atlanta,Don’t get fooled again.
JNick
May 25th, 2012
12:35 am
How is it that we’re the only team in baseball with two hitters who both have eye problems?
JNick
May 25th, 2012
12:38 am
LOL Frisky, you just dated yourself with that “Brad Komminsk” comment…
extremus
May 25th, 2012
12:44 am
The offensive troubles are magnified by the fact that by now it’s no secret that when Chipper Jones is in the lineup, the Braves are a much more effective team than when he’s not. The saddest and most frustrating part of all this is that Chipper seems to be more comfortable at the plate and hitting the ball with more power and efficiency than we’ve seen him do in years, and yet his knees won’t let him play for more than a few days at a time. The guy deserves a lot better than the criticism he gets from a lot of posters; when he’s able to he plays and plays WELL. Other guys on this team can be a liability when healthy (see Jason Heyward at the plate the past few weeks).
What is telling so far about the 2012 Braves is what’s been happening when Chipper is NOT in the lineup. I think their record after the Reds sweep is something like 7-16 when that’s the case. Simply put, well-structured and balanced teams typically have somebody (if not everyone pitching in simultaneously) to pick up the slack when a star is out/goes down. Look at the St. Louis Cardinals’ offense despite losing Pujols, Carpenter, and now Berkman early in the seaon; they just keep on hitting and winning. Not these Braves, unfortunately (though Prado and Bourn have been doing their part), which tells me that their depth is very suspect at best (Hinske going 0-12 on the road trip doesn’t help to ease that concern).
Cap: Where's My Tip
May 25th, 2012
12:50 am
“Not to blame the park”
could have fooled me, it was mentioned in all 4 games this series. I guess Cincy fans hear about the park all year long … I feel for them … it got annoying for me after just 4 games
tman
May 25th, 2012
12:51 am
Enter your comments here
tman
May 25th, 2012
12:52 am
Even with bench players, we can’t score in that clownbox stadium?? Love Heyward, but my gut feeling is that he’s another Francour, with seemingly less power. If someone could teach him to either hit or stay off of outside pitches and also learn an UPPERCUT type swing, we might have something. Chipper is the real deal, but we have no leaders when he’s out. It don’t look good against a tough, young Nationals team this weekend or this season
Chase
May 25th, 2012
12:56 am
This reporter really likes to complain about stadiums. My apologies to Braves fans who have to listen to this.
J-Man
May 25th, 2012
1:02 am
I wonder what will happen if they get swept in Atl by the Nats?
That would be 7 in a row. Im kinda have a feeling we might see it.
Daniel
May 25th, 2012
1:02 am
It’s funny. The only home runs that wouldn’t have been hit out in other stadiums were hit by BRAVES players. Yet you don’t see our reporters complaining about it.
Scrappy
May 25th, 2012
1:10 am
Nope, it’s not the park. Their pitchers pitched on the same field with the same fences. They just outpitched every single one of our guys, and our position players forgot how to hit.
nashvillewill
May 25th, 2012
1:10 am
The Braves were just outplayed, outhit, outpitched, and outed as a poor hitting team when you get past Bourn, Prado, and Chipper. Their bench has to be one of the worst in baseball with rejects (Diaz), headcases (Francisco), and out-of-shape elders (Hinske), and a reserve IF hitting .140. Who else would even consider hiring this bunch. So when they fill in they mostly take up space in the batting order. Ross has been the only exception, but he went 3 games without a hit, and looks lost at the plate. I say give all these guys releases and bring in guys from the farm or whatever shows up on the waiver wire. Couldn’t be any worse.
Venters is no longer fooling people and his fastball appears very hittable. And getting behind with men on, he has to throw the fastball. In a key situation like the 6th inning with bases loaded, why not bring in your best righthanded reliever-Kimbrel-who has not pitched in days.
I had thought Fredi would think outside the box a bit to consider such alternatives. Alas, no.
Braves need a serious fire lit under them or they can go on a losing streak and find themselves 4 to 6 games out of first.
Last comment tonight: Heyward and Uggla are terrible and give the team no chance when the situation calls for them to produce. Just terrible.
BravesFAN
May 25th, 2012
1:12 am
Once again I’ll ask DOB to go into detail about Jason Heyward and his struggles at the plate. I’d love to hear DOB’s thoughts on Heyward especially over the last month plus. DOB what are your thoughts on Jason Heyward? He’s hitting .237 and has an OBP of .329 which is terrible flat out terrible. His avg, obp, slg %, and OPS have all consistently gone down over the last month and it seems they are still headed in that downward spiral. NO injuries this time? So what is the reason for Heyward struggling so badly at the plate over the last month? He’s hit for just under a .200 avg over the last 20 plus games. We never seem to hear a word about this.
Mister Frisky
May 25th, 2012
1:14 am
@JNick Thanks,Brad Komminsk always brings down the house.
JNick
May 25th, 2012
1:23 am
@Daniel, what series were you watching? Uggla’s shot went to the 2nd deck and both of Francisco’s hits were good shots – maybe ONE of Bourne’s HR wouldn’t have been out…but his were well hit too.
The shot that won the game in the bottom of the ninth yesterday MAYBE went 360 feet. Cincy is the only field with a power alley that short.
BooBoo
May 25th, 2012
1:33 am
I had a bad feeling after Rose led off with a double and they walked Griffey and Bench, bringing up Foster.
What ?
May 25th, 2012
1:58 am
Time for “freddi” to go !
Why is wren still here ???
JNick
May 25th, 2012
1:58 am
…that’s an insult to the Big Red Machine…lol
JNick
May 25th, 2012
1:59 am
Wren is still paying off his dues for signing Lowe and KK…
day old fries
May 25th, 2012
2:07 am
larry drew > fredi g
marvin > heyward
ASG > not a d@mn thing
J-Man
May 25th, 2012
2:17 am
Where the positive of being swept in Cincy………Somebody please tell me.
JNick
May 25th, 2012
2:28 am
Um….I give up – what is it?
J-Man
May 25th, 2012
2:30 am
I guess the only positive is we dont have to go to Cincy this year…….Cincy is like Vietnam
JNick
May 25th, 2012
2:40 am
J-Man, you’re missing it, I’m having WAY too much fun with this Sneaky Pete character on the other blog. He’s convinced that I’m someone else on the blogs using a fake name. I’ve been messing with him for a good hour about McCann not being as good as Ross, and he got his panties up in a bunch….it’s just snowballed from there…lol.
J-Man
May 25th, 2012
2:55 am
ok let me check it out lol
tman
May 25th, 2012
2:57 am
You can see Walt Jocketty’s majic in this Reds team, just like he did in St. Louis. Why don’t we ever end up with GM’s like this??
JNick
May 25th, 2012
3:00 am
We let Stan Kastan ran away too. He built the Nationals into the team they are this year…now he’s moved on to LA and will probably turn the Dodgers into a real franchise. Dayton Moore was a great baseball mind too…would have much rather had him running the show as opposed to Wren. He’s done a decent job in KC already, drafted a lot of good players over the last few years. Just too bad they play in such a crappy stadium, in a crappy city, with no revenue.
JNick
May 25th, 2012
3:08 am
Any team that has a 5-17 record at home, and is 12-9 on the road – well, that just tells you something about where they play their home games. And better yet, I think the All Star game is being played there this year! Yippee!
TSauce
May 25th, 2012
3:08 am
Braves better not get swept by the Nationals! I’m going to the game Sunday night, if I’m there for a sweep, I will be booing our team! People can say that’s harsh, but I don’t care. It’s the Bad News Braves out there. There was a clear reason why the Marlins fired Gonzalez. Another boneheaded move by Frank Wren! I know he is only given an X amount of money to deal with, but he has blown the Braves money on crap players. He wasted money on McClouth, Lowe, Kawakami, Hinske, and now add Uggla to that list. I know Hinske isn’t worth as much as the other players mentioned, but I think he is a horrible utility player. If one of our players is out for the rest of the season, and Hinske has to fill in everyday, than the Braves are screwed! I cringe having to watch fat buffoon Hinske, running around right field. Also,Uggla is so horrible to watch! I don’t see the greatness in him that some Braves fans are talking about. Gonzalez is clearly playing favorites with him, by refusing to put him towards the end of the batting order.
We need to make a serious move.
JNick
May 25th, 2012
3:14 am
Maybe Sluggla will go on another 31 game hitting streak….
J-Man
May 25th, 2012
3:59 am
We also need another reliever…….Maybe we can trade for Jonathan Broxton from the Royals
bravesgrl4life
May 25th, 2012
5:39 am
Wish Medlen had walked that guy
We could have dealt with one run, but not 4.
GT71
May 25th, 2012
5:59 am
Anyone count the number of 1st pitch swings we made? Anyone count the # of swings made on pitches on the BOUNCE? Anyone count the # of pitches we made while eyes closed?
The good thing about the Braves is, after 2 innings you can tell what kind of game the offense will have and then go do something productive instead of wasting an evening on these guys. I’m betting the Braves lost hundreds of potential ballpark visitors for the next few months with this disgraceful display af bad hitting, bad fielding and bad pitching This wasn’t pretty and it will get worse. This is a mediocre team at best. Deal with it.
NickGranite
May 25th, 2012
6:19 am
I disagree pretty strenuously with Fredi on Francisco being the right guy at the plate in the 9th. Chipper had a bat in his hands and looked ready to pinch-hit. Chipper has to pinch hit with two men on in the ninth riding a 3 game losing streak. Move Prado to third and the equipment manager to left field afterwards, i don’t care but with two outs and a near 80% chance of Frisco making the last out, the HoFer has to come up.
David O'Brien
May 25th, 2012
6:23 am
JNick: Do the Royals ever have to actually, you know, contend for a playoff berth or even have a winning season? Or does the GM just get a pass from you because they “drafted a lot of good players over the last few years?”
He’s been there six years. The Royals have never finished higher than fourth in that period, and have lost more than 90 games in five of the past six seasons including the last three in a row. They’re on pace to lose about 98 this year.
And “crappy stadium”? What are you talking about? That renovated stadium has received universal praise from everyone I’ve talked to who’s played there or been to games there since it was renovated, including my brother, who lives there and attends a lot of games.
Oh, one more thing: The Braves “let Kasten run away”? Again, what are you talking about?
stew
May 25th, 2012
6:46 am
Anyone notice that we played without Freeman, McCann, and Chip. We’re only 1 game out. Six games over .500. I know that Fruti doesn’t know how to manage.
NORRIS CHUCK
May 25th, 2012
7:00 am
Any word on Chipper? Gotta get him back in the lineup or they will be in last place by June the way they are playing. I would ask….but never mind. We are stuck with the same unit all season cause of money.
JAFO
May 25th, 2012
7:03 am
Sometimes you just have to tip your cap…to the ballpark.
NORRIS CHUCK
May 25th, 2012
7:27 am
“Bourn hit 3 HRs in past 3 nights at Great American Small Park, after hitting 14 homers in first 759 games of his career.” And basically they got JACK from everyone else!
This team is gonna be in some trouble because of:
1. Freeman’s eyes are gonna bother him alot longer than we hope.
2. McCann is starting to play and feel alot older than we think.
3. Chipper is, well…we all know, hes alot of guts and pride but he wont give the team 100 games, and management knows it, but they will continue to run out scrubs while penny-pinching all season!
4. After Hudson and Beachy, the rest of the staff is gonna have us sitting on the edge of our seats all season. So, get your popcorn…gonna be a rollercoaster folks.
Joey
May 25th, 2012
7:39 am
It’s September in May!
RealATLFan
May 25th, 2012
7:59 am
Why does everyone blame Fredi when we lose but not applaud his moves when we roll of 12 of 15? Just needs to go both ways. We have some injuries and struggled in the bandbox stadium. Everyone relax we are 6 games over .500 and 1 game out of first….it’s MAY!!
a fan
May 25th, 2012
8:05 am
Extrmus
Braves 26-20 Cards 25-20??? as for KC 6 years is a long time, Dayton Moore would be gone in any other city.
cornjolio
May 25th, 2012
8:06 am
Any way we can trade Dan Uggla back to the Marlins for Omar Infante (.340 average) ?
Only Brave with eye problems is Fredi Gonzalez. He doesn’t see the same game I’m watching !
If McCann gets a longterm contract that will doom the Braves’ for years to come, tying up
the bulk of the payroll with Uggla’s big contract, assuring medicrity. Uggla & McCann
are not leaders, and Heyward’s offense unravels the more he plays.
DetroitBraves
May 25th, 2012
8:21 am
DOB has a point about Moore in KC. I think most people, including many of the Braves brass, feel he’s a great draft and development guy. At the same time, a lot of people have been unimpressed with how he’s handled his major league roster (Yunisky Betancourt!! Gil Meche!!)
As for the Braves, I’m very critical of Fredi Gonzalez and I certainly didn’t like losing in the ninth without Kimbrel getting into the game Wednesday, but nothing has changed. He’s the same manager – good and bad – when they’ve won and when they’ve lost. They’ve won when the players have been healthy and played well and lost when one or more of those things has not be true. I do think the Braves should make a managerial change because why not seek every advantage you can get (at the margins it can make a differenet – e.g., 2011), but the manager’s impact is dwarfed by how well the players perform.
This team is banged up right now but otherwise it’s fundamentally the same as it was when it was winning all of those games a week or two ago, including the manager. Deep breaths. The sky is not falling.
SavannahBravesFan
May 25th, 2012
8:39 am
Oh no, it is the end of the world! The Braves lost 4 in a row, how awful. Our season is down the drain! Fire everyone! Come on people! You can’t be great every game/series. If so, then you would win about 150 games in a season. It is just a slump the Braves are going through which is mainly caused by injuries. The ATL Blog fans are awful!! Ride them when their high, dump them when they are low. Ridiculous! I guess some of you just need something to whine about and make yourself feel better.
jim
May 25th, 2012
8:42 am
the trade that got us the”yankee” first baseman for a few months was the biggest bonehead move in years
jim
May 25th, 2012
8:43 am
tx got an allstar ss two great pitchers and boston has a good catcher and we have nada
cornjolio
May 25th, 2012
8:46 am
John Schuerholz should be Executive of the Year after the Texas Rangers win the World Series. The Mark Teixeira trade with the Braves made it all possible !
Brilliant !
double
May 25th, 2012
8:47 am
Errors & Excuses-Slumpty Dumpty at it again.
Nattering Nabob
May 25th, 2012
8:47 am
That’s right, the Chopocalypse is back in full swing!
double
May 25th, 2012
8:49 am
Nats next.what will it be pollen,smoke,park size,blisters,hangnails?
cornjolio
May 25th, 2012
8:49 am
jim,
Frank Wren got us Casey Kotchman for Mark Teixeira.
That was a fair exchange (LMAO)
cornjolio
May 25th, 2012
8:52 am
I want Infante (.340 average) back !
Uggla is Uggly ! Solo home runs and a lot of strikeouts don’t win games !
Jimmy, age 9
May 25th, 2012
8:56 am
How come when the Reds players face the good Braves pitching, they hit homeruns all over the place. But when the Braves players face the Reds bad pitching nobody seems to hit much, except Michael Bourn.
My little league coach could not answer my question.
Jimmy, age 9
Homer the Brave
May 25th, 2012
8:57 am
McCann gets to flu and the entire offense gets pneumonia.
PCOLA Braves Fan
May 25th, 2012
8:57 am
I’m definitely a HUGE Braves fan, but I do have a question. Why is it that when we go in a slump 80% of the team is on it? I see other teams with a player or two in a slump, but we only have two that aren’t. I agree with an earlier poster about being able to see early in the game if the Braves will win or not. I’ve quit watching almost every game when you can see the body language not in the game and haven’t been disapointed yet.
bucket
May 25th, 2012
8:58 am
Leo Mazzone made a great point this morning on the radio when he questioned why Medlen is thinking he has to throw a strike when he is behind in the count. Walking in a single run is better than giving up a grand slam. Maybe with the next guy you get that ground ball you were hoping for. Alot of things could have happened, but you don’t put a fastball on a tee and see how far they can hit it!
Steve
May 25th, 2012
9:00 am
Fumbling Frank Wren at his best. Needing a back-up third baseman, he trades for Mendoza Francisco. Francisco can run into a hit once in about ten times at the plate. Otherwise, it is like having two pitchers in the lineup. Another in the list of Fumbling’s failures. It is gonna be a long year. Changes need to be made in the front office.
WRB
May 25th, 2012
9:02 am
It’s a slump. Get over it. Braves will be fine.
retired
May 25th, 2012
9:02 am
Gotta get on a win streak here soon so these JACK HOLE NAYSAYERS that slither outta their cold dank holes can go back where they came from …. geezzze, really sucks to read the comments after a loss YOU FOLKS REALLY SUCK.
PCOLA Braves Fan
May 25th, 2012
9:07 am
I still think this team has the potential to make it to the playoffs. We do need to make some adjustments though. Out of five bench players we have two that are below 200 avg. Who can we count on to come out to pinch hit. After Hinske, I see no one. Ross can’t because he’s the backup catcher. Diaz can only hit lefties. Now when we have an injury our bench is amplified even more.
retired
May 25th, 2012
9:07 am
WRB agreed!
Jesse Ton
May 25th, 2012
9:10 am
I swear to God how many weird injuries have Braves players suffered over the years. Ron Gant breaks his leg on a motorcycle, Nick Esasky gets vertigo, McCann goes half blind a couple of years ago, now Freeman can’t see. Let’s face it, this is basically a .500 team, they went on a tear earlier because every guy has his season hot-streak at the same time. Now, as the season wears on, their average abilities and talent are settling into their comfort zone. For all intents and purposes, this is the same team as last year, instead of Derek Lowe coming in every 5 days and getting shelled, we have Mike Minor. Since the all-star break last year, they’re under .500. I expect that’s about where they will end up this year.
Jesse Ton
May 25th, 2012
9:12 am
That’s awesome. WRB said: “It’s a slump. Get over it. Braves will be fine.” Gee, that sounds a little familiar. Forgive me if I don’t instantly think wayyyyy back to, oh I don’t know, last September.
Bobcat
May 25th, 2012
9:13 am
My how time flies, is it SEPTEMBER ALREADY!!!!!!!
Gene
May 25th, 2012
9:18 am
Fredi should talk to Richt about the Energy Vampire program. I have been to five Braves’ games in Cincinnati in the last few years, and I have yet to see a Braves’ win. At least the hot dogs are better than those in Atlanta and cheaper.
Carl Farvman
May 25th, 2012
9:23 am
“”Not to blame the park”
could have fooled me, it was mentioned in all 4 games this series. I guess Cincy fans hear about the park all year long … I feel for them … it got annoying for me after just 4 games”"
Yes, this poster is right on. It was an embarresment hearing the TV/Radio and newspaper nitwits continue to bring up the park. I’ve followed sports while living in 4 major markets and have never witnessed whining like this. Frankly, I don’t know where these excuses come from. For decades I followed games at Wrigley and never heard clubs blame the wind blowing towards the outfield as a reason for offensive struggles. Freddie should have shut this nonsense down the first time he heard it from the entertainment reporters on TV/Radio: “What? The ballpark? They can hit it out, but we can’t….and that’s an excuse for us losing to them? Get out of here!”" But he didn’t. Sucked right in and made sure he gave it some level of credibility. Typical ATL-style cop out.
DetroitBraves
May 25th, 2012
9:27 am
So what should Frank Wren have done instead of acquiring Francisco for Hoover? As for dealing Teixeira for Kotchman, where was the market for a soon-to-be expensive first baseman represented by Scott Boras with only 2+ months left on his contract? I have no idea what else may have been possible, and neither does anyone else out here, but the real baseball market is a bit more difficult to navigate than is the fantasy baseball market.
Baby McCann!
May 25th, 2012
9:28 am
Anyone else agree that McCann needs to stop being a baby? I know the flu stinks, but when you are being paid millions, you get fluids and play.
Jesse Ton
May 25th, 2012
9:29 am
As far as I’m concerned any player from the 2011 team is expendable, because none of them did anything to prevent the EPIC collapse. That includes McCann, Uggla, Heyward, Freeman, anyone. You know what this organization lacks? Players and a manager who absolutely HATE to lose. I just don’t see that here.
DetroitBraves
May 25th, 2012
9:31 am
Should add, it’s not unreasonable to suggest the Braves would have been better off just letting Teixeira play it out and walk and take their Type-A compensation instead. But even that’s with the benefit of hindsight. Coming up through the Angels system Kotchman was considered a solid prospect.
TPic
May 25th, 2012
9:34 am
NickGranite, “I disagree pretty strenuously with Fredi on Francisco being the right guy at the plate in the 9th. Chipper had a bat in his hands and looked ready to pinch-hit. Chipper has to pinch hit with two men on in the ninth riding a 3 game losing streak. Move Prado to third and the equipment manager to left field afterwards, i don’t care but with two outs and a near 80% chance of Frisco making the last out, the HoFer has to come up”….How appropriate that you bring that up. I recall over the last several seasons when the Fat Cheerleader was managing, he did the same thing. Jones would be available to pinch hit late in aclose game and would never go to the plate. I counted several one-run losses from a couple years back where Jones never got to bat. How can you leave your best hitter on the bench when he is the best chance to make a difference in the game? (And earlier someone said to bring in Kimbrel with the game on the line in the 6th inning which was the right thing to do). And now Fredi Cox does the same thing last night batting Francisco instead of Jones. (Let’s not hear about that Francisco had hit a homer in his previous at bat please). By the way, I noticed the quotes after the game have been abridged. In the post-game interview Fredi Cox said Francisco was the right guy up to end the game – somehow that didn’t make it to the paper.
alex
May 25th, 2012
9:38 am
Where’s Dandy Don ( cowboy heaven): “Turn out the lights ,the parties over….”
True?
May 25th, 2012
9:41 am
DOB…Can you add anything to this?
•Oswalt’s preference is to play for the Rangers, Cardinals, or Braves according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, but there’s no indication either St. Louis or Atlanta has interest. Stark hears that money is the most important factor, but Oswalt also doesn’t not want to be a major media storyline wherever he goes.
PCOLA Braves Fan
May 25th, 2012
9:42 am
I agree that Francisco was not the right one to be up to bat. He already had a hit in the game and he wasn’t due for another 10 at bats. Let Chipper give it a try. I’m a poker player and that’s alot better odds to me.
shlomo
May 25th, 2012
9:59 am
Why do you bother with these interviews? Have you ever gotten Fredi G to say anything intelligent? all these moronic baseball answers don’t make for scintillating reading.
Ralph
May 25th, 2012
10:02 am
There for a while it looked like all of the “TOP 10IF’s” were going to be on the positive side and we would make the playoff’s, now the worm has turned and all the IF’s are becoming negative, look out LAST PLACE here we come.
Brad
May 25th, 2012
10:03 am
With great hitters like Uggly, Hinski, Ross, Fransico, Wilson and Diaz, you should expect to win the World Series! You also need pitchers like Lowe pitched last year. The present Braves expect their pitchers to throw no-hitters so they put all the pressure on them that they can. It wopuld seem only reason able that he hitting coach would get with Uggly and look at some film showing the wild pitches Uggly swings at to strike out!
Just A Fan
May 25th, 2012
10:13 am
As a Reds fan, I think its hilarious hearing everyone (especially Joe Simpson) whining about the Reds hitting home runs in their “bandbox” stadium. People, the Braves batting average for the four games was .150. They didnt lose because of the stadium. They lost because they couldnt hit the Reds pitching staff, which is not exactly a bunch of all stars. The Reds play 81 games each year in that stadium and they are doing ok.
Ralph
May 25th, 2012
10:16 am
cornjolio
want Infante (.340 average) back !
Braves could have gotten him last season but Wren dropped the ball on that one.
Ralph
May 25th, 2012
10:22 am
Braves are only 1 game out of 1st place but they arfe only 1 1/2 game out of 4th place, which will come first?
keepinitreal
May 25th, 2012
10:22 am
It’s worrisome how heavily this team seems to rely on Chipper. I think most people tend to overrate leadership as an intangible, but it does make you wonder why we’re so good when Chipper’s in there and so bad when he’s not. He’s still a good hitter, but the win-loss descrepancy with him in the lineup compared to when he sits out should not be this severe. Probably a bit of a statistical anomaly, but disturbing nonetheless.
Chipper’s not going to be here next year, so this team better figure out how to win without him.
TPic
May 25th, 2012
10:23 am
Just A fan – I have to ask this. Are your local (team-paid) announcers as bad as Atlanta’s? Do they wait until three pitches are thrown to a batter before mentioning who is at the plate and what the count is? When their is a pickoff attempt to 1st base BY THE CATCHER (this happened last night), do they even acknowlege the play? How about when the trivia question is given – do your announcers rattle off 20 guesses before the fans have a chance to think about the answer?
TPic
May 25th, 2012
10:24 am
Pardon the grammar on previous post.
Highlands
May 25th, 2012
10:31 am
Just had to check my desk calendar, because I swear this week I stepped into the wormhole and was transported backl to September 2011. Only thing that made me realize that wasn;t the case is that Venters wasn’t a completely worthles waste of flesh in 2011. “Hello, Delta? I’s like to book a flight for a passenger on your next flight to Pearl, Mississippi…last name is spelled ‘V-E-N-T-E-R-S’…”
Larry
May 25th, 2012
10:34 am
Like I keep saying, baseball is the easiest team sport in the world to manage when you have shutout pitching and/or offensive explosions; it those other tight, closely contested games where a true manager makes a difference.
Fredi Gonzalez is clueless in in-game, strategical management. He has poor situational instincts and this is why he needs to be cheer-leading as a third base coach and this team needs a major league quality manager.
hold on thar!
May 25th, 2012
10:40 am
Okay class, today we look at Mr Uggla. Hustles unlike anyone on the team not named Prado. Doesn’t always get to every ball at second, but dives, slides, jumps and whatever else is takes trying to get to it. Hits .260-.270 or so.
This is what he is, and has always been. When we got him, everyone was ecstatic. NOW you say you’d rather have Infante? Come on,you can’t have it both ways!!! I’d love to have Infante so he could play left field when Prado plays third, alleviating the need for the ‘Francisco Experiment’. But Uggla is a great guy, a great clubhouse guy, a great teammate and is one of only two we have with any power, Freeman being the other. These days, come to think of it, I’d put Infante in right…..I think what we are seeing of Jason right now is what he is. A young player who started off with a new idea of hitting and has reverted to his old idea.
There! All done! Continue.