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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,420 comments Add your comment
Murph
May 31st, 2012
2:32 pm
Well, considering that nobody in this joint would give the man credit for more than 100 games, to start with, I guess he’d have to be darn near retired completely to miss “more than expected”.
Uh ohh, sounds like someone is turning into a pout-pout fish.
C’mon scoots, you know there are plenty of people here who expected him to play more. With the way things are going with the leg and the complete radio silence we’re getting, I’ve got to believe that Chipper is going to miss a significant portion of June, though.
If Quentin could be had without parting with one of “the untouchables” I’ve gotta think he’s worth at least taking a look at. He is back from surgery and going crazy in his first few games, and you gotta believe that he’s going to play at 110% to try and earn a big deal this offseason.
Seems like a perfect fit.
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
2:33 pm
I think the goal with Chipper at this point is to stay in the race and hope Chipper can play occasionally, PH some and can be healthy enough for a final run at the end!!
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
2:33 pm
id love to see simmons win rookie of the year. who is in the running for it in the NL so far?
Bryce Harper (if he gets enough play time to qualify), Yonder Alonso among others.
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:33 pm
So there, I complained about his moves…
Murph
May 31st, 2012
2:34 pm
DAP, Quentin could make one heck of a platoon partner with Heyward, that’s for sure.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:34 pm
Are y’all tellin’ me George is real? The way you folks are responding to him, I guess so.
It just seems like as LTBF, he was nothing like this. Without exaggeration, Ward reads smarter nowadays. Not real, right? Just tryin’ to get a rise? All that crap about the Reds was blowin’ smoke?
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
2:34 pm
DAP, Also Randall Delgado and Wade Miley…
Murph
May 31st, 2012
2:35 pm
I just realized I typed “you gotta believe” or “I gotta believe” 3 times in one post.
I often like to go back and look at my phrasing, see if there’s things I could improve upon… make adjustments at the keyboard, if you will.
Leaving out “you gotta believe” from now on is one adjustment I plan on making.
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
2:37 pm
Seems like a perfect fit.
A no-contact out-machine who can’t stay on the field and is still chewing the cud of 2008 for a resume. I’ll pass.
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
2:38 pm
Harper is 19… he has done about what you would reasonably expect a 19 year old to do…
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
2:38 pm
That’s 5 “you gotta believe” in 2 posts Murph!!!
Talk about over using a phrase!!!
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
Harper through 30 games: .274/.357/.504/.861 OPS+ 132
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
“one adjustment I plan on making.”
I see you working. And, it’s appreciated. But, I have to suggest more four-year-old, sopapilla, breakfast-burrito-lady, deer, video-game-work, etc. content. Just a suggestion, of course.
George
May 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:27 pm
Not that I care, but do you know you always misspell my name. I f you are trying to make a point about my spelling, no need I know it is not very good. After all this is a blog, thereis a lot of bad grammer and spelling here.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:41 pm
“he has done about what you would reasonably expect a 19 year old to do…”
Park adjusted, of course.
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
2:41 pm
Of course BAS, of course.
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:42 pm
BAS, Georgre posts more than he did as LTBF, but nowadays, he has more ummm, lets say, antagonists…who
likeenjoyget him riled up…LTBF was just a plain ole whiner weener…
Brian from SC
May 31st, 2012
2:42 pm
Man…Eric Hinske is 3 for his last 39, all singles, with 17 strikeouts. Just one RBI in that span, on a sac fly.
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
Nope, Georgre, the misspelling is intentional. Figure it out…
Fish Bisch
May 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
Demote Simmons and call up Gattis.
DAP
May 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
i also wouldnt mind wren looking at some of the bullpen arms outs there, like broxton, huston street, or even k-rod.
Sopheee
May 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
whoosh
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:44 pm
“more antagonists”
I just see the one. Funny, though. Let me be clear, you’re on my good list. I see what happens when one excludes you.
TommyP
May 31st, 2012
2:44 pm
Cubs have made it known that the entire team except for Jeff Samardja (sp?) is available to be dealt, including Starlin Castro.
That’s a fire sale.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:44 pm
Brian,
What was Hinske’s hot stretch before the freeze? Same length?
keylargo
May 31st, 2012
2:45 pm
Ease -
the #1 rule of couples kayaking is to get two kayaks. None of those “made for two where one does all the paddling”. Buy one for two and you might as well get a rickshaw to carry her around on land too.
I guess you’re in GA but down here in the Florida Keys is a fantasy land to kayak and I also very much enjoyed Cape Canaveral National Seashore and Mosquitio Lagoon south of Daytona and North of Cocoa Beach and Titusville.
MFin04
May 31st, 2012
2:46 pm
“i also wouldnt mind wren looking at some of the bullpen arms outs there, like broxton, huston street, or even k-rod.”
More like Linebrink, Marmol, or Kerry Wood.
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
2:46 pm
Harper through 30 games: .274/.357/.504/.861 OPS+ 132
So? Heyward’s first 30 crushes that, and Rob is ready to ship him back to AAA now.
There is obviously very little hope for Bryce Harper as a big-league player.
Murph
May 31st, 2012
2:47 pm
That’s 5 “you gotta believe” in 2 posts Murph!!!
I gotta believe that I’m capable of making the changes… necessary… to… ah crap.
I see you working. And, it’s appreciated. But, I have to suggest more four-year-old, sopapilla, breakfast-burrito-lady, deer, video-game-work, etc. content. Just a suggestion, of course.
There just hasn’t been much to tell you guys lately. The 4 year old just finished school and has spent the week playing her new favorite genre of games on her iPod… hunting games! She even called me at work yesterday to tell me that she killed a momma deer with one shot and that a bear then ate the baby deer while she watched. I couldn’t have been prouder.
I’ve also put plans for the Sopapillaporium on hold for now. I’ve been doing a lot of gourmet burger grilling over the past 2 months and am now torn between stuffed sopapillas and gourmet burgers. If I do the burger food trailer instead I’m going to make it baseball-themed, at least.
DAP
May 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
would anybody trade benthancourt and simmons for starlin castro? i think i would.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
I thought Soph was whooshing me. I hate that. But, now I think she was whooshing George. Nothing worse than being whooshed and not knowing what the whoosh is for. Though, I suppose that, by definition, one can’t know a whoosh’s reason. I don’t know. It’s all very confusing. Whoosh-worthy, even.
Except for the George part. That dude’s an idiot.
Shaun
May 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
TennesseePaul, Harper is a once-in-a-generation, perhaps a once-in-a-three-or-four-generation talent.
keylargo
May 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
TommyP – would you do Simmons for Castro?
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:49 pm
Free whiskey for all!
MFin04
May 31st, 2012
2:50 pm
“Harper is a once-in-a-generation, perhaps a once-in-a-three-or-four-generation talent.”
Yep, so were Heyward, Teheran, Delgado and Vizcaino.
Brian from SC
May 31st, 2012
2:51 pm
From May 16th through Wednesday night (14 games), the Braves hit .181 with RISP (.211 overall in that span). Last night they were 4 for 12.
Arkansas Transplant
May 31st, 2012
2:51 pm
keylargo, I saw your post about Lucent earlier.. don’t worry, your life course wasn’t the only one changed.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
May 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Allen (Raleigh)
Can Evan Gattis play LF at the big league level? Is the bat good enough to crowbar him in somewhere defensively?
Klaw
(1:25 PM)
If he could catch, he’d be a guy. But he’s too big to catch, has to play 1b/dh, and isn’t likely to hit enough to have any role there. Again, his age is a huge factor in his small-sample success this year.
Oh the humanity…
George
May 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
Anogher FREDI lover, if he stays wait till they go 70-92 next year.
Sopheee
May 31st, 2012
2:53 pm
whoosh for not knowing who the whoosh was for, BAS! Come on now. I’ll take the whoosh back since you ultimately figured out what the original whoosh was for.
jeffrey d
May 31st, 2012
2:53 pm
I think I’m whoooooshed too. If you’re going for ogre, isn’t it spelled O-G-R-E? Or is this on the same page of the grammar book that RBIs was on that I apparently missed?
TommyP
May 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
keylargo: Has to be “2 impact prospects” for Starlin. That’s what was said by Epstein.
Tom
May 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
here come the nats again, i expect the braves to be swept, or maybe win one at most.
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:55 pm
keylargo, yes, we, no I, have learned that unfortunately the hard way.
And yes, landlocked in NW Atlanta…we would love to take lessons, and be more active with it, but not sure where to begin looking locally.
Brian from SC
May 31st, 2012
2:55 pm
BAS,
No, not that kind of length. He got white hot briefly and went 10 for 15 with 2 doubles and a homer over a 5-game span. Besides that 5-game span, he’s hitting .121 (7 for 58).
phil
May 31st, 2012
2:56 pm
Harper will be a bust….
Write it down.
For one, he’s ugly as sin. Two, his head will explode.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:56 pm
I think I was unwhooshed after being rewhooshed for missing the original whoosh. I think.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
May 31st, 2012
2:57 pm
Eric (Corpus Christi, TX)
I remember the hype about Furcal’s arm when he first came up at 19 (or 21 as he turned out to be). Is Simmons’s arm comparable?
Klaw
(1:30 PM)
Furcal has the best SS arm I’ve ever seen. Simmons is pretty close, though.
Ease
May 31st, 2012
2:57 pm
jeffrey, not exactly, I know the spelling was wrong, but it was the only way to subtly get it in there.
jeffrey d
May 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
Geogre
DAP
May 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
scoots A no-contact out-machine
compared to what? Quentin’s career OBP is .347. Better than Bourn and Freeman, the exact same as Martin Prado.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
Thanks, Brian. After his struggles last year, I wonder if he’s guaranteed a job. If he Norton’s it for a month or two, I’d think his spot, and career, could be in jeopardy.
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
2:59 pm
Oh the humanity…
It’s OK, man. It’s only natural for the infidels to be faithless about Evan Gattis. They can’t help it, and Gattis is too great a man to call them out on it. The scales shall fall from their eyes, some day.
And, then, Evan Gattis will enjoy a fine balsamic vinaigrette from Keith Law’s own hands, as a gesture of apology.
cricket
May 31st, 2012
2:59 pm
i expect braves to sweep
Murph
May 31st, 2012
2:59 pm
keylargo: Has to be “2 impact prospects” for Starlin. That’s what was said by Epstein.
Mike Minor and Ernesto Mejia… done and done.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
3:00 pm
“subtly”
Yes, it was very subtle. What’s it been, a year? From a guy who never makes a mistake… I was gonna say that word doesn’t mean what you think it means, but after considering your audience: well played, sir.
jeffrey d
May 31st, 2012
3:00 pm
I hear that in 2 years, Evan Gattis baseball cards will be America’s new currency
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:01 pm
Shawon Dunston had a cannon for an arm….
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
3:01 pm
Harper will be a bust….
Write it down.
For one, he’s ugly as sin. Two, his head will explode
My money is on Drugs and Ho’s ruining the Harper kid!! Just has that kinda look maybe it’s the hair!!!
Murph
May 31st, 2012
3:01 pm
here come the nats again, i expect the braves to be swept, or maybe win one at most.
Freddie Freeman won’t allow that to happen. He alone could stop the Nats with his mighty bat and new wrap-around prescription sports goggles.
Shaun
May 31st, 2012
3:02 pm
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/bryce-harper-is-making-history/
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
3:02 pm
There is obviously very little hope for Bryce Harper as a big-league player.
Well, one would reseasonably expect that he’d follow up an historic rookie season with about a .220/.320/.320 line…
nolie
May 31st, 2012
3:05 pm
what in God’s name would make anybody assume that Simmons has a 48″ vertical leap?
Hugo Z Hackenbush
May 31st, 2012
3:05 pm
Murph, I think he meant “positive” impact…
b
May 31st, 2012
3:05 pm
I told everyone all off season Constanza should have never been sent down. He’s hit everywhere he’s ever played. No excuse for him not to be in majors. Does he have character problems that we don’t know about?
I hate it when some of you bloggers say he’s been in the minors for a reason. What reason is it, your experts?
Jose brings a spark to the team and only his ankle injury and Freddie’s incompetence took him out of the lineup.
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
3:05 pm
Harper is a once-in-a-generation, perhaps a once-in-a-three-or-four-generation talent.
Whoa, calm down there. Put the kool-aid down and back away from the table. Park adjust your expectations back into the reasonable realm. Try to ignore the reckless narratives of ignorant BBWAA geezers.
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
3:01 pm
Harper will be a bust….
Write it down.
For one, he’s ugly as sin. Two, his head will explode
My money is on Drugs and Ho’s ruining the Harper kid!! Just has that kinda look maybe it’s the hair!!!
*************
LOL….exactly!
His teeth look odd too….already have that meth look to em.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
“has to play 1b/dh”
I’m sorry, but this continually spouted crap about LF being difficult to play is nonsense. There are a few guys that don’t track balls well, and they make for bad OFers. Even after thousands of reps. But, most ballplayers can go get a fly ball. They’ve been doing it since they were four. Can every guy be a gold-glover, no. But, to assume 1B is easier to play than LF is wrong, in my book. And, I don’t care if Bill James positional chart says otherwise. If a guy can .850 in the bigs, and catch the routine fly ball, his defense’ll be just fine.
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
3:07 pm
Evan Gattis will enjoy a fine balsamic vinaigrette from Keith Law’s own hands
Ha! Totally forgot about that one. Who did he describe that way again?
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:07 pm
A 48″ vertical leap?
He’s in the wrong sport…
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:08 pm
Look at what Freeman did on that one ball last night….what a great play.
Nabs the tricky grounder at the bag for the out, guns it to second for what should have been a 3-4 DP, only to have Hack drop the damn ball.
i love the kid…
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
3:09 pm
Jose brings a spark to the team and only his ankle injury and Freddie’s incompetence took him out of the lineup.
Wait, Freeman was doing the line ups?
Arkansas Transplant
May 31st, 2012
3:10 pm
I think Castro and Dempster are the only 2 players on the cubs with any value. And Dempster with his injury history and age wouldn’t bring a huge package from me. An outside chance you could get Dejesus on the low might be worth a look too. Besides those.. not much to see here.
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
3:10 pm
TennPaul, I’ve forgotten the target of Law’s “balsamic ” jab. I only remember it because of the incredible degree of misplaced, smug condescension that generated it.
Bay Area Steve
May 31st, 2012
3:10 pm
I find it funny that Fredo got on Rev about the behind-the-back play at 2nd, when that’s the exact type of play we would expect from Gonzalez and Simmons (Simba might be a keeper). In spring, Simmons showed a lot of flash. Ol’ Uggs needs to prep the skillet.
nolie
May 31st, 2012
3:11 pm
if only his cleats didn’t try to turn into roots all the time…….
Brian from SC
May 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
BAS, it’s not that the play was “flashy”…it’s that it wasn’t smart. He had an easy out, but tried to get cute with something that had a low probability of success.
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
You know the AA manager was worried about Gattis’s reaction when telling the team Simmons was going to the show?? I bet he had one of his coaches do the job!!
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
3:13 pm
i love the kid…
Pretty sure you’ll be able to let go of that at the first sign of a slump, phil.
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
I like the Simba nick-name…
TennesseePaul
May 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
scoots, here it is: The Braves are exploring an extension for Dan Uggla. This is like acquiring some 30-year-old aceto balsamico and using it in a vinaigrette. @KeithLaw Twitter
TheOnlyBravesFan
May 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
here finally guys, got out of my “summer” college class (don’t know why I’m giving up my junior year summer for this)
what’s the news? has REV been recalled? aaarghh
Good luck Simmons, hope you can drive in at least 1 RISP
nolie
May 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
wasn’t Gattis on the DL?
cricket
May 31st, 2012
3:16 pm
may be the difference is that simmons will be actually able to make the flashy plays
Brian from SC
May 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
cricket, every player has to know their limits on the field and play within them.
nolie
May 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
Tyler made the play, Uggla dropped it outta his glove
Shaun
May 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
All of the data and the scouting reports, pretty much any info we have, back up that Harper is one of the most talented players ever. Barring injury or something crazy happening off the field, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t put up a Hall of Fame career. That is different than pretty much every prospect in recent memory, certainly of the Baseball America age of ranking prospects.
There have been plenty of prospects that would have surprised if they didn’t have at least really solid major league careers. But Harper is about the only one I can think of that is likely to have a Hall of Fame career, as long as he stays healthy and he doesn’t get into any sorts of off-field trouble.
CrαZy
May 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
Doom and Gloom to Shinny and New in a matter of 48 hours….
ncscoots
May 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
Well, shoot, my memory kinda butchered the original, didn’t it, TennPaul? This is when being able to edit a post wold come in handy. I could make that 2:59 a lot funnier for posterity.
Sopheee
May 31st, 2012
3:18 pm
I like Simba too. Done.
Arkansas Transplant
May 31st, 2012
3:18 pm
Brian from SC, as low probability of success that play many have had, had Uggla just caught the ball we would have gotten the out. I’d think there’d be more blame on the guy who dropped the ball than the one who got him the ball.
b
May 31st, 2012
3:18 pm
Why is Pastornicky called Rev?
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:18 pm
John Edwards is about to get his free pass….
cue the lawyer bashing.
phil
May 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
b – pastor, reverend….
Hugo Z Hackenbush
May 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
I’d prefer Gattis give him a balsamic enema…
Shaun
May 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
keithlaw @keithlaw: “Generally, if you’re being called smug, it’s because someone’s afraid you might be right.”
Ease
May 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
Mufasa would be better…
TommyP
May 31st, 2012
3:20 pm
Arkansas: LaHair would make a great platoon LF. Dejesus would be cheap and Soriano would be as well if the team taking him paid some of that contract. Awful contract, though.
Soto at catcher is still there, Baker is a good utility guy (mashes lefties) and Ian Stewart isn’t one I like very much.
Rotation has Garza so there’s a ton of value sitting there for various teams.
nolie
May 31st, 2012
3:20 pm
hell yeah, I get called smug all the time, so does scoots….
jeffrey d
May 31st, 2012
3:21 pm
No, if you’re being called smug someone’s probably afraid you’re being arrogant, closed-minded, and a d-bag.