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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,128 comments Add your comment
Tomahawkin
June 19th, 2012
4:30 pm
FEAR
June 19th, 2012
4:26 pm
“whatever. it’s the same crap every year with the Brave’s hitting. The only thing different this year is the pitching blows.”
Co-Sign!
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward - Again)
June 19th, 2012
4:30 pm
So the Braves “big arms” aren’t so big, and the same offense that stunk last year also stinks this year.
In his heart, Frank Wren knew this is pretty much how things were going to turn out after he took the entire winter off.
FEAR
June 19th, 2012
4:31 pm
what’s up TH?
monty
June 19th, 2012
4:31 pm
Bourn-hitting
Prado-currently not hitting
Jones-not hitting
McCann- might be starting to hit some
Freeman- prolly not going to hit
Uggla- can hit Hr’s on occassion, walks and k’s the rest of the time
Heyward-useless against LHP, hits righties pretty good
Simmons- hitting perhaps better than expected-
HInski- hasn’t hit anything in the past month
Go get em Huddy!
Tomahawkin
June 19th, 2012
4:32 pm
@FEAR
NM Bro, bout to go play in Traffic (US 78) all the way to Grayson, Hold The Fort Down
DAP
June 19th, 2012
4:32 pm
efrim Reasonable expectations had Heyward plugged as having similar platoon splits to Jeff Francouer in his early career.
good thing for heyward though, if you can only hit pitchers from one side, you want it to be the right side.
Charlie Rich
June 19th, 2012
4:32 pm
How can you expect to win with a line-up like this:
McCann – Declining at the plate, average catcher
Freeman – Talented but makes Chipper Jones look like an Iron Man
Uggla – Leads the team in K’s and errors
Simmons – Good young talent
Jones – Overpaid, broken down cheerleader
Prado – Solid ballplayer
Bourn – Solid ballplayer; hamstrung on the bases by Freddi
Hayward – Overrated bust that plays a lazy game
Bench – Weak, washed up players that should thank the Braves for giving them a job
Heisenberg
June 19th, 2012
4:33 pm
The left coast – got it. Was in Arizona recently. Did not like the time zone difference. No late baseball games to fall asleep to and a Sunday braves game started at 11am. It was strange.
faninva
June 19th, 2012
4:33 pm
every time i see Bryce Harper, i think – “now that is what i thought Heyward would be”
Ya, I know, long way to go before we make Harper “all that”, but damn, he’s good.
RC
June 19th, 2012
4:33 pm
There seems to be an afternoon gathering of mostly chit-chat among a regular group rather than the normal posts on other Braves blogs.
It is. But once you get past some version of “I agree” or “I disagree” with the subject of the blog, what purpose is there to really hang around if not to chit-chat with a group of regulars. It’s a pretty friendly group, and if you pose questions and/or comments to people you will usually get a response.
tmc
June 19th, 2012
4:34 pm
One question i have for Frank Wren or anyone in the front office of the Braves would be:
How many years of below average hitting does it take before the “evaluation” of the lineup as it pertains to offense is deemed incorrect?
Cause, we are about in year 4 or 5. (and that might be conservative)
bravesgrl4life
June 19th, 2012
4:34 pm
Read backwards, Mitchell. I was talking about my niece at the Smoltz retirement game.
RC
June 19th, 2012
4:35 pm
every time i see Bryce Harper, i think – “now that is what i thought Heyward would be”
In all fairness, at the time Heyward had played as many games as Harper has, he still appeared to be that guy.
But Harper is really good.
TheOnlyBravesFan
June 19th, 2012
4:35 pm
2012 Challenger, eh? Nice.
There seems to be an afternoon gathering of mostly chit-chat among a regular group rather than the normal posts on other Braves blogs.
This blog is waay more cool than MB or JS blogs, in my opinion. More interaction…
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:35 pm
good thing for heyward though, if you can only hit pitchers from one side, you want it to be the right side.
Yes, important. I mean, again, Andre Ethier just made 85 million dollars being a below average defensive outfielder who can’t hit LHP at all…..
Creams RH’s, but still.
cabravesfan
June 19th, 2012
4:36 pm
Sunday Braves start at 10 here…It’s kinda nice actually, eat breakfast, watch baseball, still have the entire afternoon for other things (especially when it’s nice in the summer- we can go down to the pier and this fabulous dive bar that is right on the water and watch the sun set
)
REAGAN2012
June 19th, 2012
4:36 pm
I HOPE JARE CAN KEEP HIS BALLS DOWN IN BSOTON OR THEY GONNA GET BLOWN OUT BY THE LOWLY REDSUX
Fredi's Fu Manchu
June 19th, 2012
4:37 pm
Trade prospects? Blasphemy! I got news for ya – Teheran and Delgado and Minor are more style than substance. Gotta hope you can snooker someone Frank – you overplayed this hand.
Hillbilly
June 19th, 2012
4:37 pm
I can see envision it Lew. A sequel to Amused to Death.
Roger Waters, Snowy White, Doyle Brammel II, and Andy Fairweather-Low
tmc
June 19th, 2012
4:37 pm
Jimmy- i agree, but i would like to see that % in context with the other teams before reacting badly.
faninva
June 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
RC – yes, you are SO right..which just makes it more disappointing.
FEAR
June 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
yeah JJ in Fenway is begging for trouble
stew
June 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
With all that is written about the manager, couldn’t we expect the end to Fruti within a week. I mean it’s time already.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
Here we go again. Another blog listing the braves woes and not one mention of the terrible moves made by Fredi.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:39 pm
On May 30th, 2010, Heyward was hitting .301/.421/.596 through his first 190 plate appearances and I’m pretty sure everyone thought this kid was going to be the next great baseball player. Still might happen, but he’s taken quite a nosedive since.
CrαZy
June 19th, 2012
4:39 pm
Trivia:
Which 2 players have more than 500 career HR’s and less than 1000 Strike outs?
Andrelton Simmons
June 19th, 2012
4:40 pm
You’re kind of nit picking on the Heyward stats DOB and making them look worse than he has been lately IMO.
I mean yes his last 8 games his OBP is .295 but his last 10 games his average is .314, his last 5 games his average is .333, and he also has 3 doubles in his last 5 games. For the month of June Heyward is averaging .320, .346 OBP, .540 SLG %, and a .886 OPS which are all remarkable numbers for any outfielder. Heyward has as many XBH as he had in April when he was playing well he’s on his way to a double digit doubles total for the month of June which is impressive. Heyward has probably been the 2nd best hitter in our lineup in the month of June so far, but he does need to get back to drawing more walks like he used to.
It’s not his fault he constantly bats 6th and 7th instead of 4th or 5th. His RBI numbers would be way up in the month of June if he was batting higher in the order and the way he’s been producing at the plate lately he should be batting higher in the lineup
DAP
June 19th, 2012
4:40 pm
efrim I mean, again, Andre Ethier just made 85 million dollars being a below average defensive outfielder who can’t hit LHP at all…..
Creams RH’s, but still.
since 75% of pitchers are righthanded, he ends up with good looking totals.
RC
June 19th, 2012
4:41 pm
RC – yes, you are SO right..which just makes it more disappointing
My point was more that there is plenty of time for Harper to disappoint also…he just hasn’t been around long enough to.
I don’t think that he will, just that we have to wait to see if he continues this.
Jimmy
June 19th, 2012
4:41 pm
Mitchell – Here is the story, as I can piece it together:
bg4life took her 24 year old niece Samantha to a Braves game. She got all prissy and drunk and then puked.
Murph was sitting in front of her. He made her take off her shirt and clean it up. But not even windblown cheap perfume could mask the smell, so they asked an usher for different seats.
They left the puke smell with Murph.
Thats kinda of what happened.
Latter Good Folks. Go BARVES!
ncscoots
June 19th, 2012
4:42 pm
Here we go again. Another blog listing the braves woes and not one mention of the terrible moves made by Fredi.
It’s a conspiracy, man.
Jimmy
June 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
tmc – me too. Real interesting. Someone is sure to dig it up.
Later all.
monty
June 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
Braves against the Yanks reminds me of my Little League days when you had to play that one team that somehow managed to get the best 3-4 players in the league on the same team.
Everyone Sing Along
June 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
(to the tune of Colonel Bogey’s March)
Comet!
It makes your mouth turn green!
Comet!
It tastes like gasoline!
Comet! It makes you vomit! So buy some comet, and vomit today!
CrαZy
June 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
Here we go again. Another blog listing the braves woes and not one mention of the terrible moves made by Fredi.
And what purpose would it do if he did? You seem to have your mind made up and It’s not like the Braves take advise from a writer. So why complain? Plus the players are the main reason we aren’t winning!
yep
June 19th, 2012
4:43 pm
I’d shuffle the line up
Bourne
Freeman
Jones
Uggla
McCann
Heyward
Prado
Simmons
Hinske
Hillbilly
June 19th, 2012
4:44 pm
Which 2 players have more than 500 career HR’s and less than 1000 Strike outs?
Jo-Jo Reyes and Chuck James. Boom! Pay the man.
Wait, you’re talking about batters aren’t you?
phil
June 19th, 2012
4:44 pm
That’s pretty good, Jimmy!
Ted Williams was probably one of em, crazy…
Shaun
June 19th, 2012
4:44 pm
every time i see Bryce Harper, i think – “now that is what i thought Heyward would be”
Ya, I know, long way to go before we make Harper “all that”, but damn, he’s good.
If you think any prospect would be like Bryce Harper, time to rethink things. Harper is not in a class with even your typical number one prospects. He’s in a class with the guys like A-Rod and Griffey…and that’s about it.
Frankie Wren
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
Mixxo,
Doubtful you played more ball and not buying you being very knowledgable regarding the game but not a big deal. That isn’t what I’m getting at
The shock jock comments are just are old man. Get a dog if you crave instant attention.
CrαZy
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
I’d shuffle the line up
That’s ground breaking!!!
Frankie Wren
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
Mixxo,
Doubtful you played more ball and not buying you being very knowledgable regarding the game but not a big deal. That isn’t what I’m getting at
The shock jock comments are just are old man. Get a dog if you crave instant attention.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
Must be time for another Harley ride.
FEAR
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
fredi aint helping either.
faninva
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
RC – understood.
monty
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
Jimmy-”Latter Good Folks. Go BARVES!”
Jimmy is obviously off to the game to sit behind Murph.
DAP
June 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
CraZy It’s not like the Braves take advise from a writer
this makes me think of the guy who wanted DOB to offer some solutions to all the problems he pointed out in the blog. c’mon DOB, you have to come up with some answers!
CrαZy
June 19th, 2012
4:46 pm
phil… yes Ted Williams is one of them.
Mike S
June 19th, 2012
4:46 pm
Now that’s the FMJ lineup we haven’t seen in awhile! Think I’d prefer giving Francisco a shot, especially with that short porch in left and Ski struggling so bad of late, but I ain’t gonna pick nits with it.
I’m in NYC this week, so I’ll get to see ‘em in person shortly, and again tomorrow. I’m pumped! (not as pumped for the high of 95 expected tomorrow however…)
CB
June 19th, 2012
4:48 pm
I suggest we go to the Billy Martin method of breaking a losing streak- put all their names in a hat and draw them out. Cant hurt.
Lew
June 19th, 2012
4:48 pm
Hillbilly and Faninva- You familiar with the Thin Lizzy Album Chinatown? Snowy White plays guitar on it with Scott Gorham – really good stuff – excellent guitar work.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:48 pm
We would just like to hear him questioned about his questionable moves. Instead he is given a pass and we are left to cap tipping and you have to believe the back of the bubble gum card.
Screwball
June 19th, 2012
4:49 pm
Mike Francesa on YES just made the point (perhaps already made here) that the Braves are getting screwed by having to play six games with the Yankees while their potential wild card rivals the Giants are playing Oakland six times. is that fair?
RoyU
June 19th, 2012
4:49 pm
With all due respect to the Braves players that are doing their best, what’s the surprise? We’re basically doing the same as we finished last year and just what Wren and Braves ownership knew the team, in reality, were capable of doing going into and leaving spring training!!! If they want to continue fantasizing about the real capability of this team, let them go back to sleep and keep “Dreaming”‘! When they wake uip, we can only hope it will be in the real world and with quite a bit more of common sense. This is a good time to spart rebuilding before that chore becomes even more difficult!!!
ncscoots
June 19th, 2012
4:50 pm
He’s in a class with the guys like A-Rod and Griffey…and that’s about it.
I’m going to guess here, but I doubt you saw Griffey as a 19-year-old. At least, with any understanding of what you were seeing. Harper has some tools, but a comparison with Griffey at the same age is ludicrous.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:50 pm
If you think any prospect would be like Bryce Harper, time to rethink things. Harper is not in a class with even your typical number one prospects. He’s in a class with the guys like A-Rod and Griffey…and that’s about it.
Not Heyward on May 30th, 2010?
monty
June 19th, 2012
4:50 pm
Recall Georgie, we haven’t won since he went back down!
Sad Sack
June 19th, 2012
4:51 pm
Hope Huddy pitches a shutout tonight – only chance the Braves have…
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:51 pm
You can bet Fredi wouldn’t be getting a pass any other place or if his name was Larry Drew.
tmc
June 19th, 2012
4:51 pm
CraZy- i knew Ted Williams but i had to look up the other…
M.O.
Good trivia ? tho
phil
June 19th, 2012
4:52 pm
Stan Musial? Did he make it to 500?
bravesgrl4life
June 19th, 2012
4:52 pm
Am I the only one (mean-spirited soul that I am
) just hoping that Bryce Harper has a horrible sophomore slump in 2013?
CB
June 19th, 2012
4:52 pm
Sounds like Shaun is having a new love affair. Yeah,scoots is right, no comparing Harper to Griffey.
Lew
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Hillbilly – Just had a friend send me a double album called Rattlesnake Guitar – lots of different people playing Pr Green covers – guitarists a dn other featured artists include White, Dave Peverett and Rod Price of Foghat, Jack Bruce and Gary Moore and all other sorts of Rock Gods, . More good stuff.
TheOnlyBravesFan
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Am I the only one (mean-spirited soul that I am ) just hoping that Bryce Harper has a horrible sophomore slump in 2013?
Why wait for 2013? Why can’t he start now?
monty
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Maybe we’re just having our September moment a little earlier this year. Heck, we might even knock it out early and get on a roll.
Lew
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Peter Green – Really need a new keyboard.
ncscoots
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
hoping that Bryce Harper has a horrible sophomore slump in 2013?
The kid still has to get through this year first.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Pretty unbelievable how much contact Griffey, Jr. made with that swing of his.
bravesgrl4life
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
I’d be on board with that, TOBF
Coach (2012 Fredi's Beisbol Fandango)
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
The Cap Tipper
June 19th, 2012
3:06 pm
“The Braves’ two highest slugging percentages belong to rookie shortstop Simmons (.529, albeit only 51 at-bats) and leadoff man Bourn (.456). I mean, seriously….”
That right there says all you need to know about the Atlanta Braves “offense”. As horrible a manager as Fredi is, and HE IS the worst manager in MLB right now hands down. Even Joe Girardi couldn’t produce wins with this embarrassingly anemic “offense”. I have questioned this team’s heart and effort from opening day, especially since ending last year with the worst collapse in MLB history, losing 20 of 30. I mean this team just doesnt try….period. I don’t care if I get blasted….it’s pathetic for this amount of talent to get shutout or score a single run on an almost nightly basis. I HATE how this team is full of wusses who sit out half the season with “dry eyes, a stomach bug, and a bruise” like the 3,4, and 5 hitters in our lineup did earlier this year. Its disgusting, and EVERY single one of them with the exception of Bourn and Prado is underperforming severely. That tells you one thing…they don’t care and are going through the motions. That falls on Fredi, but it also falls on the leaders of this offense, which has none. Freddie Freeman is underperforming, Jason Heyward is underperforming, Chipper Jones is underperforming, Brian McCann is underperforming, Dan Uggla is underperforming slightly, Eric Hinske is underperforming, Jack Wilson is underperforming, Matt Diaz is underperforming. These are not opinions, every one of those guys is hitting lower than there career averages, with most significantly lower. I mean when 70 percent of your offense is underperforming EVERYTHING is wrong about the team. Simply put that means the manager is an inefficient leader/motivator, laziness in putting in work in the batting cages, poor attitudes, loser mentality/culture in the clubhouse, poor scouting of pitchers, poor conditioning by the hitters, poor efforts ALL THE WAY AROUND….. DISGUSTED…..I usually go to 3-4 games a year, but am boycotting the rest of the year, and am feverishly convincing others not to attend games. I write a weekly letter to the Braves explaining WHY they are such a poorly run, lazy, country club organization and HOW other more modern organizations are passing them by the minute.
>>>>>>>>>>>..
Well said. However, you left Frank Wren off the list of those under performing. The man has lost perspective and his obvious mistakes keep piling up. Example:
Pastornicky over Simmons, ignoring Jurrjens horrible spring numbers, keeping Medlen in the pen, not going with his best performing five starters, adding Hernandez then dumping the Cuban disaster, an ineffective bench, etc.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Someone said Fredi is not the one playing. He NEVER played at the major league level.
phil
June 19th, 2012
4:53 pm
Mel Ott?
Mitchell
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
Jimmy
June 19th, 2012
4:41 pm
Mitchell – Here is the story, as I can piece it together:
bg4life took her 24 year old niece Samantha to a Braves game. She got all prissy and drunk and then puked.
Murph was sitting in front of her. He made her take off her shirt and clean it up. But not even windblown cheap perfume could mask the smell, so they asked an usher for different seats.
They left the puke smell with Murph.
Thats kinda of what happened.
Latter Good Folks. Go BARVES!
That cannot possibly be a true story.
Do you people actually go to games together and/or know each other in real life?
That’s weird.
oh yeah
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
Delgado and Minor have been better lately. Hudson and Hanson are pretty solid. If JJ can figure out how to do like he did the 1st half 2011 we’d a decent rotation. And Minor and Delgado prove to be too inconsistent then trade one for some quality releivers and move Medlin to the rotation.
ChattTownBrian
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
BAS, thank ya.
Hillbilly
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
Lew, I’m not. I don’t know much of anything about Thin Lizzy.
bravesgrl4life
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
Mitchell, I guess some of us do. I’ve met Tomahawkin.
George Stein
June 19th, 2012
4:54 pm
Yes! Let’s put the guy with .296 OBP in front of the guys with the .352, .331, and .393 OBPs. Awesome idea, Fredi!
CrαZy
June 19th, 2012
4:55 pm
Yeah Mel Ott and Ted Williams
ncscoots
June 19th, 2012
4:55 pm
Pretty unbelievable how much contact Griffey, Jr. made with that swing of his.
GPS eye at the plate and magic wrists.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:55 pm
Sounds like Shaun is having a new love affair
If we rewind to what he was saying about Heyward 2 years ago and then look at the “reasonable expectations” comment – I can’t help but laugh out loud at work.
phil
June 19th, 2012
4:55 pm
Mitchell – nevermind.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:56 pm
Fredi has lost this team long ago. They have quit trying. Terry Francona lost his job because of that last year and Fredi should have too.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
4:56 pm
Let’s put the guy with .296 OBP in front of the guys with the .352, .331, and .393 OBPs. Awesome idea, Fredi!
But Freeman just looks like a better hitter, George…..
FEAR
June 19th, 2012
4:56 pm
shoulda traded JJ when we had the chance.
Shaun
June 19th, 2012
4:57 pm
Screwball, here’s another point: Folks freaking out are basically looking at only an 8-game stretch.
How many players and teams play exactly the same every 8 games throughout a season?
How about broadening your horizons and look at how the Braves are likely to play for the rest of the season, and looking at what their record so far and how they are likely to play going forward will result in at the end of the season? I see absolutely nothing, based on a broader view of the team, that indicates the Braves will not finish with something around 90 wins. Could they be better or worse than that? Sure. But I think something around 90 wins is still very reasonable. Of course if we evaluate them 8 games at a time or something like that, we’ll probably view them differently and we’ll likely end up being wrong.
bravesgrl4life
June 19th, 2012
4:59 pm
Alright, y’all. I’m heading for home to see the new old 70 Cuda Convertible sitting in my driveway. Probably be on later with no vomit talk
George Stein
June 19th, 2012
4:59 pm
I guess so, Efrim. I mean, I had to chuckle at the note about Heyward’s OBP for the last eight games because that’s Freeman’s for the ENTIRE SEASON.
It must be because Freeman is an RBI guy.
ACE
June 19th, 2012
4:59 pm
Frank needs to admit the terrible moves he has made, KK, DLowe and hiring Fredi just to name a few.
Frankie Wren
June 19th, 2012
4:59 pm
Chance it might happen but don’t get your hopes up on Harper having a horrible slump next year
0-7 with 5 punchouts and kid follows up with 2 knocks the next day and making contact on each plate appearance.
Kentavo
June 19th, 2012
5:00 pm
Well Harper may be cocky and the league may adjust to him, etc., but at least he gives effort and plays hard.
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
5:01 pm
I’m still saying Heyward parks one in the short porch in RF over the next two games. I got a feelin…..
CB
June 19th, 2012
5:01 pm
Anybody other than me want to ask bravesgrl4life if Tomahawkin has a yellow behind? Just kidding
Lew
June 19th, 2012
5:01 pm
Coach – Maybe that time in AA helped Simmons be as successful as he has in the bigs. You can’t really say that Pastornicky playing for a couple of months was a mistake cause you just don’t know.
phil
June 19th, 2012
5:02 pm
We could win tonight if we don’t drive in any runs…
jzdc
June 19th, 2012
5:02 pm
God, that’s terrifying. I have to watch this team play 95 more games!?
ncbravesfan90
June 19th, 2012
5:02 pm
Heat advisory for New York City…95 degrees tomorrow for a day start should feel nice haha
Efrim
June 19th, 2012
5:02 pm
I mean, I had to chuckle at the note about Heyward’s OBP for the last eight games because that’s Freeman’s for the ENTIRE SEASON.
It will be interesting to see how folks treat Freddie if he tanks this year. Will people just blame the eyes and finger?
Shaun
June 19th, 2012
5:03 pm
Efrim, what exactly was I saying 2 years ago? Probably not what you remember.