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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
160 comments Add your comment
Who Me?
May 28th, 2012
8:38 pm
Heyward is young and playing with zero integrity right now, which is a shame. His rookie season was a lot like Bryce Harper’s – a happy picture of a motivated baseball player. So – is Heyward just reflecting out what he feels about the team or is this what we should expect to see for the rest of the season??
Who Me?
May 28th, 2012
8:39 pm
BTW —- The Rev ain’t it. Something’s gotta give at the 6 hole….
Largo
May 28th, 2012
8:53 pm
What was it JS promised after last September’s melt down? I see no difference between then and now with regard to this team.
Wes Jorga
May 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
Bring up Simmons
Ricky
May 28th, 2012
9:02 pm
I think Liberty Media should sell the team to someone that is willing to put more of an effort towards winning a world series. We will not win with a mediocre squad like this one.
Rozeman13
May 28th, 2012
9:17 pm
As long as we have the Dogs, Jackets and the Falcons I really think the Braves and Hawks are just blog fodder. We know their owners could care less about winning, only tax breaks
95' Dreamin
May 28th, 2012
9:18 pm
Can somebody and I mean anybody tell me where Jordan Parraz might be right now. You know the guy who had a killer spring training but was forced to give way to goofy Matt Diaz. Wasn’t Diaz cut last year by the Pirates?? On what planet does a player released by the Pirates become good enough to play for the braves? Parraz is the better option and could possibly provide a spark (he couldn’t possibly be a worse MLB atbat than say a Juan Francisco, or Rev). I don’t even know if Parraz is still in our organization but I know who is and it’s a stable of yet again overrated young arms who in basic terms aren’t very good or nearly as good as advertised. Stop forcing the strong pitching angle down our throats cause it’s not true and quit with the “try hard” “god willing” attitude because just trying hard doesn’t win games better yet championships.
Player development in the braves org is THE most overrated single thing in sports. What exactly have the braves produced besides McCan and Kimbrel since Chip? I could go on forever but the fact of the matter is the ship could be righted and we could get back into this race. But a couple injuries down the road and we see how this club reacts to any adversity an that’s by sinking really really fast. The braves for years made Dan Fuggla look like Zeus but now he doesn’t have us to eat up on. Follow me for more braves bashing until the streak discontinues. @westonvarian #firefrediG
TOMY FOURNIER
May 28th, 2012
9:21 pm
NO BATTER UP…..YOU ARE UP!!!!
The Scout
May 28th, 2012
9:28 pm
The vaunted Braves’ scouting system was gutted years ago when Time Warner took over from Ted, and sold on to Liberty.
Its no wonder everyone from Schuerholz to Wren to the spin of Jim Powell & Chip Caray are trying to milk the success of the 1990s into something that it isn’t.
This is 2012 people. 1995 was 17 long years ago and the days of glory won’t be returning any time soon.The minor league system has over-hyped prospects at best. A team built around Heyward, McCann & Uggly is a team going nowhere.
Washington & St Louis & Tampa are teams to emulate.
cornjolio
May 28th, 2012
9:32 pm
Matt Diaz has photos of Fredi in the shower ! How else could a marginal player be starting in the major leagues?
95' Dreamin
May 28th, 2012
9:39 pm
@the scout well said. Jim Powell can eat one too. Dude just for here but acts as if he was along for the 90’s ride. And someone tell Lemke, Mazzone and crew that the 90’s braves vastly underachieved as well.
ACE
May 28th, 2012
9:40 pm
FG’s arm is tired from all the cap tipping he has been doing.
ACE
May 28th, 2012
9:43 pm
Time to do something. You can lose a season in May and the braves are well on their way to doing so.
tired of the Atl
May 28th, 2012
9:52 pm
I think the reality is this: Heyward is the Greg Oden of MLB. Too overhyped as a man-child playing inferior competition, then we find out his body cannot endure a full baseball season. I thought “Cliff Floyd” when he started, but he’s not going to last 10 seasons. Heyward’s body will break down and he will be out of baseball before he’s 30.
Uggla needs to be the man, that’s what hes getting paid for, but he’s too worried about tape measure homers and not making contact with the baseball. It’s what happens when a guy that should be a 20-homer second baseman bulks up trying to hit 40 homers.
stoky
May 28th, 2012
10:04 pm
Some times you just have to tip your hat to the opponent..
Jch
May 28th, 2012
10:09 pm
Tough stretch and tough set of circumstances…
Let’s see how they do in the first 10-15 games with everyone back before “going young” as someone suggested. You’ll have to admit, they were going pretty good until this stretch of bad luck…
Get ‘em all back and then see how they do.
However, pitching and Heyward are worrisome…
P.T. Barnum
May 28th, 2012
10:54 pm
It’s like I’ve always said “there’s one born every minute”. It’s good to know that you will all be coming back to the ballpark to watch another performance. It’s also good to know that both FG and FW have plenty of confidence in the ability of the pitching coach mcdowell. Job security is a great thing, depite the pitching staff. Haven’t heard a word yet from the writers about the failure of the pitching coach. After watching hanson, hinsky and mccann all mess up that dribble of a hit, you really got to wonder where moe, larry and curly got their material. Will someone please teach hanson to go either after a ball or cover a base and not stand there twirling around trying to figure out what to do. Has he ever covered firstbase, made a throw properly or fielded a grounder? The guy stands there like a stick figure. I coiuld use him in one of my shows. I know it’s only been 8 straight and the fans will figure that the funk has to end sometime..
reality
May 28th, 2012
11:19 pm
0-8 sucks, 22-9 was great. This team is somewhere in the middle. I don’t understand why the posters on here are so dramatic. This WILL even out, but the team will lose 60-70 games. That’s the way they are built – to compete, not to dominate. Doesn’t matter when the losses come, if its all in May or all in September.
fordcobra
May 28th, 2012
11:32 pm
Stoky@
8 straight times??????????
Brickhead OKelly
May 29th, 2012
12:13 am
Over 100 games left. As long as they can stay within 5 games of the lead going into Sept……Dont worry about it. This is Memorial Day. This stupid losing streak means NOTHING right now.
not a pitfching coach
May 29th, 2012
12:48 am
Meanwhile, something really good–spectacular, really–happened at Cool Ray Field. The Gwinnett Braves, after trailing the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs by a score of 8-0, staged a rally in the 7th inning to close the gap to 8-3.
Then in the bottom of the 9th, they scored six runs, with a walk-off 3-run homer by Lance Zawadzki, who only recently joined the team. Fireworks everywhere!
ren
May 29th, 2012
2:19 am
We have a good core foundation.
IowaBravesFan
May 29th, 2012
2:49 am
Here are the facts….Team is playing like crap. There are no excuses for the pitching, there are some excuses for batting. Something needs to be changed, I feel J-hey has been showing a lack of hustle and that Fredi makes very questionable calls. Fredi seems to have a crush on Durbin and Livian and he needs to get over it. If a relief pitcher is gonna come in and throw garbage I’d rather it be a young player with promise, than Either one of those losers. Team needs a leader beside Chipper. Cause he’s leavin. They need a boost, something to get their heads and hearts back in the game. Cause 8 losses in a row is not Atlanta Braves baseball. Overall team is in a good place, but flirting with disaster.
Keith
May 29th, 2012
6:14 am
And so the goes the ebb and flow of a 162-game season. This is a team that just swept the Cards and took 2/3 from the Rays.
I expect them to bounce back. Injuries have killed us.
GO BRAVES!
PA Brave
May 29th, 2012
6:45 am
FIRE FG NOW!
Charlie
May 29th, 2012
6:55 am
The Braves, before June 1st, are done. Toast. Finished. They can’t help it. They are who they are. This team has no clutch players. Their manager is a figurehead, who has no clue what to do…ever. Frank Wren is a laughing stock among baseball GM’s.
This team has no Jeter, Aaron, or even a 19999 version of Chipper Jones. It has no post-season Smoltz guy. These guys do choke. They press, and they panic. It’s who they are. That includes Brian McCann, Tim Hudson, all of them.
Fredi (for all his simple-minded good intentions) is not a leader of any sort. He can’t inspire. He doesn’t have it. He doesn’t have that sort of character. Fredi thinks that by saying positive things about the poor performances of his players, that that will turn things around. He takes “positives” to such an insane degree, that even the players know thai it’s “Fredi bullsh-t”. (Yesterday he praised Hudson’s last pitching performance, after Hudson gave up 7 earned runs. Hudson, and the rest of the world, knows that it was a spit-out performance. Even Fredi knows that. Say stuff like that, so completely idiotic, and your credibility goes right out the window. You hear Fredi’s voice, but after awhile it comes out “blah, blah, blah”. Fredi has zero credibility…none with fans, or even his even own players. It would be best for all, if he stepped down. He brings nothing to this team.
The players want to win, but they lack that clutch guy, who refuses to lose (like a Smoltz or Jeter). Martin wants to be that guy, but it takes more that work or will. Uggla wants to be that guy, but pressure to perform turns off his brain, a the plate and on the field.
This team couldn’t make the playoffs, with 10 wildcards available. They don’t have the mental make-up to do it.
They showed their worth in September of 2011. They have reverted back to that now.
They are who they are. They have no clutch leadership guys on he team. There is no leadership anywhere in this organization. From the top down, they cash their pay checks, and wait for September. Another September. It came a bit earlier this year.
BRAVES SUCK
May 29th, 2012
7:33 am
Braves are TRUELY. an EMARRESSMENT.
CRMAC300
May 29th, 2012
7:43 am
Tired of hearing about who is not in the line up. Tired of excuses. This really is the team that we saw last September. They fooled us for a couple of months! I live in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. The Rays have lost their two best players to injury and their closer has not pitched in a game yet. But, in the toughest division in the American League, they are in first place. Why? Because their manager will not allow them to make excuses. If there is a silver lining to this disaster, Fredi and Frank will soon be in the unemployment line.
Winchester
May 29th, 2012
7:43 am
It’s nice to be an eternal optimist, but being pragmatic in a world of realism better suites this situation. When an organization which is paid huge money to field a team of millionaires called professionals can’t get the job done, it is time to call a spade a spade.
Throw out health problems because other teams with health problems are winning. That being said, this team is a collective bunch of conspicuous players who do not pass the test of superior talent. It is put together by a conspicuous group of scouts, upper management, and field level management.
This team cannot even call home an advantage. This team gets beaten by opponenent’s pitchers hitting homeruns. This team gets beaten by traded players hitting homeruns. This team gets beaten by its own buy-back retreads. This team gets beaten by its own starting pitchers who don’t think that they pitched bad enough to lose. This team gets beaten by lack of heart.
This team picks up its millions after being swept in two consecutive series, provides slop for families to watch and pay for at Turner Field, wins a few but loses a lot, cannot manufacture runs on short ball even with the bases loaded but can load the bases on a consistent basis, and professes to “get after them tomorrow” in post game interviews.
This why the Atlanta Braves do not fill the stadium seats during important games and this is why we fans are not eternal optimists, but long suffering fans.
RBrave
May 29th, 2012
8:32 am
What do you mean Heyward isn’t lazy ? You play a ball in front of you and let a 19 year rookie take 2nd base and you can’t pick the damn thing up and throw it in ? Balls in the corner looks like he’s going for a Sunday walk, quit making excuses for him !! Freddi show have pulled him after Harper took second and sat his lazy A%& down !
Bobcat
May 29th, 2012
8:40 am
Does anyone know the HEIMLICH maneuver? If so, please administer to the Braves, THEY”RE CHOKING!!!!!!
Yogi
May 29th, 2012
8:48 am
What r the Braves going to do when Chipper retires next year? Seems to play better when he is in the line up.If the batters would try to go with the pitch rather than trying to pull everything. We could score some runs.Need to take some lessons from Borne and Prado..I thought the new batting coach was teaching he fundamentals of hitting.
Fredi needs to step it up if he wants to be coaching in Atlanta next year
Larry
May 29th, 2012
8:50 am
I blame the AJC. What kind of headline is “Another miserable Monday”? That’s just totally negative. Instead the headline should read “Braves Catch Phillies”!! It’s true AND it’s positive. Let’s lose all the negative waves around here and things will turn around.
Bobcat
May 29th, 2012
8:52 am
Much of what I see is the lack of “Heart” or emotion and that stems from Freddi G. I’ve watched FG during questionable calls and what few times he runs our to question a call (I use the term question, because there is no argument in FG) it appears he is more interested in the comfort of the umps instead of pleading his case. Chances are he will never win the argument, but he can protest the call and get the team motivated. Also, an early argument with the umps keeps them on their toes so they are not making calls while being out of position. And the latter is happening more frequently to the Braves.
The Alpha Male
May 29th, 2012
8:54 am
Batter Up….. calling you a ‘tard is an insult to ‘tards everywhere. The season is 162 games… far beyond your ability to count I know. Talk your moronic trash in September when it matters.
Wes
May 29th, 2012
8:55 am
Yeah, Fredi arguing with umpires is going to keep our pitchers from giving up bombs. Joe Torre never raised his voice and won how many championships? Lou Pinella went crazy all the time and he won how many?
Gene
May 29th, 2012
9:02 am
The present Braves’ team probably has more talent than the ‘ 91 team, that gave so much to the fans and the city. These guys are playing like they really want to be somewhere else. Fans should take that cue. As long as the team is making money, Liberty Media doesn’t care if they win or lose. Players have assumed the deer-in-the-headlights look of the manager. I spent $200 to attend two sorry performance, both of which were essentially over by the third inning.. I won’t be doing that again for a while. I am waiting for the Little League World Series to see some emotional baseball.
Bob Horner's Blonde Mullet
May 29th, 2012
9:06 am
The Heyward experiment has produced some conclusive results: he is a bust.
Tomahawk Chops: Daily Atlanta Braves News Clippings For Tuesday, May 29th | Augusta News | Augusta GA Local News
May 29th, 2012
9:10 am
[...] Braves’ losing skid reaches 8, and Monday record is 0-8 | Atlanta Braves"We’ve got to do something to get this monkey off our back," Hanson said after giving up six runs and eight hits in 3-1/3 innings. [...]
iopbrave
May 29th, 2012
9:36 am
Oh boy – the Bravos are painful to watch right now- this is like a bad Groundhog Day scenario- I hope they can turn it around quick- might be time to find some more help if Liberty will allow it- I’m afraid the crappy TV deal dooms us to 20 years of getting lucky occasionally and a good bit of mediocrity
NY-CITI
May 29th, 2012
9:43 am
Wow….The tone has changed here since I last visited a few weeks ago. Back then the braves were going to cruise to the playoffs and win it all. Now there’s nothing but darkness and despair. In the mean time my NY Mets are proving that all the so called experts who predicted them to be one of the worst teams in the NL really don’t know SH–IT……LETS GO METS!!!
Casey Stinkle
May 29th, 2012
9:54 am
How can someone like Jonny Ventors look so dominant in years past, and all of a sudden can’t get anyone out? Very frustrating!
Paul Blais
May 29th, 2012
10:37 am
Been a Braves fan since 1953. This is certainly a bad team, a team with no gumption being led by a low profile mgr and gm. Can we fly our ‘give up now’ flag and get ready for the hype for next year. Please do something like get rid of management, no deals in spring when it was evident to everyone that something was needed.
Don
May 29th, 2012
10:38 am
What could possibly go wrong?
First of all – with Pitching the name of the game – We have a Pitching Coach (whethr his conditioning program is at fault or not) who in his 6 or 7 years of service (since Leo left) has seen almost EVERY Starting Pitcher in the rotation end up being injured. The Starting Rotation with the great young talent which should have had the Braves set for yers – is NOW IN SHAMBLES.
Secondly – after many of us waiting for years, and years, and years for Bobby Cox with his incompetent management procedures to be gone – We hire a BOBBY COX CLONE as the new manager.
When you do not have the best at the top — the results are not going to be the best.
zane smith's teeth
May 29th, 2012
10:39 am
Has anyone looked at Jeff Francoeur’s career stats lately? He’s 28 and should finish the season with 1200+ hits, 625+ RBI’s and a .271 career average. If he plays another 10-11 years until he is 38-39, he could finish with 3000+ hits, 1500 RBI’s, 300+ home runs etc… That’s HOF numbers.
Any current Atlanta players not named Chipper look HOF material????
Don
May 29th, 2012
10:52 am
It all starts with and depends on Pitching.
And since Leo left as Pitching Coach 6 or 7 years ago, almost EVERY one of the large number of different Starting Pitchers that the Braves have had – have ended up being INJURED —— UNBELIEVABLE.
FOUR of our FIVE Starters from last season – comming off Injuries.
As long as this continues – FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE – FORGET IT ALL
Longtimefan
May 29th, 2012
11:10 am
It’s interesting(or a little moronic) that just 8games after being one of the hottest teams in baseball the doomsayers are out in force calling for the dismantling of the team. It’s the same team that was leading in the standings a little over a week ago except they have not had the services of most of their offensive firepower. Clearly the pitching has been of concern, but it was a little optimistic to expect a group of young pitchers to not stumble sometime during the season. I still expect Heyward to come around and produce-he has the tools. And none of you have a clue what FG has or hasn’t said to Heyward behind closed doors. Do you? No manager that’s worth a crap is going to toast his players in the media.
The losing streak will end, we will get our starters back on the field and we will play the remaining 100 plus games in the season. I’ll bet we have a few winning streaks along the way. One thing I am sure of- when the Braves are going good the # of posters declines and when they are going thru a tough time the haters come out to kick them and call for all sorts of stupidly based on EIGHT GAMES! FIRE FG, FIRE FW! DEMOTE HALF THE PITCHING STAFF! TRADE BOURN! BLOW UP THE TEAM! All this over 8 games. Eight games constitutes less than 1/20 th of the season. Get some perspective guys.
DogTheMan
May 29th, 2012
11:23 am
I don’t think its all on Jason Heyward. We knew going in the Braves had no depth. Management did nothing to upgrade the team. We are a middle of the road team who played above our heads for a month. Injuries and reality has set in. Until the Braces decide to go and get players who can sustain we rae what we are. I guess depending ona 40 year old 3rd baseman to carry you is the recipe for success. And for those who want to compare Heyward to Andruw Jones and critisize. Remember Andruw Jones won 10 Gold Gloves and hot over 400 homers!!!!!
Tommy
May 29th, 2012
11:40 am
Hello all you defeatist people. Always coming out when things go wrong. Where will you be when team turns it around? Answer: Nowhere in sight. Get a life and have confidence in your team. We are all Brave fans here. Love our team and go with the flow. It will get better. Be patient.
Bo Duke
May 29th, 2012
11:40 am
I guess all of us who said the Braves are going to suck, and got blasted by the ones here who already were waving the East Div title flag, can be redeemed. The team does indeed suck. I can now plan my summer without having to waste any money coming to watch this bunch of losers lose. There is not one player on this team that I would BUILD my team around. NONE! A bunch of overpaid, under developed, over hiped, bums. Period.
Tommy
May 29th, 2012
11:52 am
Typical, If you dont love our Braves, find another team. If you do love them, then give them some love. When they start winning you will be out of site. Moga Moga Chi Chi Miki Lau so
Rick in Macon
May 29th, 2012
12:04 pm
Out with McDowell…bring Leo Mazzone back!!!
Jim99
May 29th, 2012
12:07 pm
Let’s end the Gonzalez/McDowell era NOW! It’s time to move on.
Tommy
May 29th, 2012
12:13 pm
Its time for you defeatists to move on. Shi Hu.
Lefty
May 29th, 2012
12:48 pm
Don thinks Bobby Cox used “incompetent management procedures”. Don, what’s it like to be so stupid? If anything, you would think that not winning a division title for a few years would help you understand and appreciate the genius of Bobby Cox. Guess you always ride the short bus, huh?
Still#1Fan
May 29th, 2012
12:55 pm
Hey Batter Up, I did not call you a tard but whoever did was spot on! You “so called fans” run when the heat is on us. You thought I would just quit being a fan because we stink right now? NOPE!!!! Still a fan 41 years in the making passed down from generation to generation. REAL FAN BIG GUY!!!!! As for the Braves we need some fixing no doubt! How about we hire Mazzone back and stick him in AAA and let him groom our picthers there! It would be a smart move I think! LongtimeFan, keep telling these bandwagon fans what it is like to be a real fan…………maybe, just maybe they will pick up a few pointers on what it is like to be a fan!? We ahve not even got to the All Star Break and you guys are jumping ship and we still only 4 games out of first in the BEST division in baseball. YEP I SAID BEST Division in baseball. Like I said last week, we will be ok! And for all you bashers who bash our home teams please find another team to bash. Only real fans can talk about the Braves the rest of you wagonners dont deserve the right!
Tommy
May 29th, 2012
1:01 pm
@Still#1Fan.Hello my friend. Finally a true fan. I am on you band wagon. Where do I sign up for a seat?
TOMY FOURNIER
May 29th, 2012
3:15 pm
LASTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT…HELLO!!!
hank57
May 29th, 2012
3:17 pm
This team almost reminds me of the 1962 Mets. I was in the Navy then, and our ship was in dry dock in New York for complete overhaul. I went to as many games as I could. They were 40-120 that year. Pop-ups in the infield hit them in the head and things like that. The only difference is, the fans still loved them and came out to the games. I don’t get that sense of forgiveness here, and with this economy who can blame them?
Series Preview #25: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Atlanta Braves | MLB.Fans-Talk.com
June 26th, 2012
7:57 pm
[...] also bring out a certain “segment” of the fanbase, as evidenced by the comments on this article from the Atlanta Journal [...]