Braves quotes after Monday loss to Cubs
**TOMMY HANSON
On the loss
“It just came down to that last inning, really. Couple of base hits up the middle. I wanted to throw a back-door slider right there [to Valbuena] and it kind of leaked over the middle.”
On his performance, good until 7th inning
“I felt real good with my stuff. I was throwing strikes and getting ahead of guys, keeping my pitch count low. It just didn’t go well in that last inning.”
On his two losses to Samardzija this inning
“Both times I’ve faced him he’s had unbelievable stuff. Throws hard and good split, and he started throwing those sliders in there. Anytime you’re mixing three pitches, that’s tough.”
On pitching well and seeing it ruined by one big hit
“It’s frustrating. It’s not like I went out there and got beat up. I felt like I had my good stuff and it just came down to that one inning. Those are the frustrating games, and the ones that are tough to swallow.”
So you felt good about your pitches other the 3-run double?
“I felt great, besides, the one to Rizzo [leadoff first-pitch homer in fourth inning]. He guessed right and ambushed me. It was a fastball down and away hit out of the park. So there’s not much you can do there. Like I said, it came down to that last inning. Those base hits up the middle. I felt like I didn’t really have to give in to Barney [on the walk that loaded the bases], with Valbuena coming up and then Samardzija — we know he’s going to stay in there; I don’t think they’re going to pinch-hit in that situation.
“So, I mean, I had a chance to get out of that inning. That pitch just kind of ran back over the middle, instead of staying away.”
“You can look back and say I should have thrown a different pitch. It just didn’t work out. Any other time in that situation, I feel like I make that pitch. And I just didn’t today, and it cost us the game.”
**CHIPPER JONES
On Samardzija
“He was good today. Real good. Good slider, good split, located his fastball, stayed on top of the hitters. You know, you’ve got to go out there and respect 95-96 [mph fastballs], and he was getting his secondary pitches where he wants them — it’s going to be a long day for anybody.”
“But we got beat in all three facets of the game tonight, for whatever reason. Tommy pitched great until they scored the three runs. But the offense and defense, at times, wasn’t there.”
Is there something missing with this team right now?
“Just the inability to put all three facets together at the same time. And do it consistently, every…single…day. And for whatever reason, it’s just not happening. We get a good pitching performance, we don’t swing the bats. We get a good pitching performance, we don’t play defense. We swing the bats, we don’t pitch. It’s frustrating. But if the guys in this clubhouse want to get to where we want to go, we better start playing better.”
Are you confident you guys can turn it around with what you have here now?
“Yeah. I said earlier, this team at times plays brilliantly. We play great. And then other times, we more resemble the Bad News Bears. And that doesn’t cut it up here.”
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Bourn hitting into double play (Simmons doubled off third)
“In that situation, you’ve got to sell out and go on contact. The score was 0-0 at the time. You’ve got to go on contact. You can’t read the ball there, for me anyway. If that ball is on the ground, he scores easy. It was an aggressive play and we hit a line drive at the shortstop. That’s the way it goes.
“We had another opportunity, and we scored a run and came back and tied that game. And right away, they scored. But I think the game was Samardzija. He kept us off-balance, throwing a 93, 94 mph fastball and he had his split going. There were a couple times he threw it four and five times in a row, and we had no chance on it, especially to left-handed hitters. The eighth inning, their defense made some heck of a plays to get them out of a possible jam. All of a sudden, it may be first and second with nobody out, [then] it’s inning over. It’s just the way it goes right now.”
On Hanson giving up big hits on first-pitch and whether Gonzalez likes the aggressiveness
“Yeah and you know what, those pitches came back over the plate. They were breaking balls and we were trying to back-door them and they came back over the plate. After he gave up a double to Valbuena, he pitched out of a jam, and it was nice to see. He didn’t give up any more runs after that. In an inning where I think he ended up throwing almost 20 pitches that inning. It was nice to see him get out of that jam after he gave up three runs.”
On not getting shutdown innings (after Braves score)
“They’re big. All of a sudden we get the momentum going and tie the game up and all of a sudden we get two hits in a row and let them back in. Those are big swings during the course of the game, for me, no matter what inning it is. Obviously later in the game it’s more of a mental shift but early in a game if you shut a team down right away, it’s big and we haven’t been able to do that on a consistent basis.”
Given his poor numbers in June, was tonight more indicative of Samardzija?
“I’ve seen him twice this year and this is what he’s done to us really. He’s 94, 95 mph fastball with a good split and he commanded it today. I think the last time we faced him in Chicago this year, he was the same way. I saw those numbers this morning when I came in, and I was like ‘This is not the same guy that we’ve seen earlier in the year.’ He proved he was better than those numbers show today.”
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141 comments Add your comment
Otis
July 2nd, 2012
10:56 pm
This team has major problems. It is getting old that Wren keeps trotting out a team that is not playoff material and he try’s to sell it as one. People need to lose their jobs. If not, Wren is the problem.
ACE
July 2nd, 2012
10:57 pm
You must be joking
myke hawk
July 2nd, 2012
10:58 pm
need new owners
ncbravesfan
July 2nd, 2012
10:58 pm
Blah blah blah … same old BS
ACE
July 2nd, 2012
10:58 pm
Why not ask Fredi why he didn’t pull Hanson in the seventh.
ACE
July 2nd, 2012
10:59 pm
These are clown questions Bro
ncbravesfan
July 2nd, 2012
11:03 pm
How come no one asks the obvious questions, like “seriously, 3-4 on the homstand? Seriously, a lackluster performance against the last place Cubs?”
Or the one that needs to be asked = “Fredi, exactly who do you have dirt on that allows you to still have this job?”
The Red
July 2nd, 2012
11:04 pm
All that hoping that their starters thrown a perfect game every night is catching up to them!
JC Boscan III
July 2nd, 2012
11:06 pm
So, getting doubled off of 3rd in a 0-0 game was SMART baseball…?!?!?! The 3rd baseman wasn’t near the bag, so Simmons could have had plenty of time to get back IF he hadn’t broken toward home. I thought the baseball “fundamental” was to make sure a liner gets through the infield. I also thought the baseball fundamental is NOT to make the 1st or 3rd out at 3rd base. But, Fredi says it was smart baseball, so who am I to question it………………………………? It might have been nice to see if Prado would’ve knocked in that run………
Jason Foster
July 2nd, 2012
11:12 pm
I agree with Chipper’s comments about the inconsistency. But there’s a fine line between being a great team with great players who are just going through a rough patch and being just a mediocre team. We’re halfway through the season, and it seems to me that what we’ve seen IS the Braves. I see them as a mediocre team. Yes, there have been injuries, but some themes have repeated no matter who’s playing. Poor hitting with RISP, hitters being too aggressive, poor situational hitting, odd defensive lapses, etc. Sometimes they play great, other times they play terrible. Other times they just get beat. For every seven-game winning streak, there are several three- or four-game losing streaks. Like I said, mediocre. And, at the end of the day, as constructed, it will add up to about 83 wins.
mediocrity continues...
July 2nd, 2012
11:13 pm
You just gotta tip your cap to the Cubs, they’ve got a great squad over there.
You just gotta TIP YOUR CAP…
DaveinNEPA
July 2nd, 2012
11:13 pm
Smart baseball????
Other than for poor hitting, pitching, defense and bonehead management, this team doesn’t have any problems!!!!!
Eaf1980
July 2nd, 2012
11:14 pm
Please do something!
It’s really frustrating to turn on the tv every night and hope everything clicks for the braves, only to see leads disappear in just a few minutes, and it’s like everybody just freezes. No changes, just leaving ‘em out there.
Sad to see good plays, good pitching and good hitting being wasted!!!
ncbravesfan
July 2nd, 2012
11:16 pm
And to think, people actually want to see more players from this team representing the NL in the ALL STAR GAME. IMO, Kimbrel is the only one who should be playing in the ASG for the Braves.
Hope Harper gets the final vote. Mediocrity should NOT be rewarded.
SLBReb
July 2nd, 2012
11:17 pm
Please recall Constanza and start playing small ball. We are averaging about 6 hits a game and when most are singles and do not come in the same inning we are in trouble. Too bad we have to suffer the whole year with Freddie G. Anyone with a lick of sense or at least reads their stat book could have gotten us a few more wins no sweat. I love the Braves but this is just bad baseball and embarassing that Uggla is going to the All Star game. Here’s to hoping we go get another hitter, pitcher and manager.
milo
July 2nd, 2012
11:20 pm
ok so there was a Brave scout watching Grienke tonight, what is that going to do with an offense that dont score enough runs
cowdogit
July 2nd, 2012
11:22 pm
If Chipper doesn’t go on the disable list, this team is in big trouble.
Yogi Berra
July 2nd, 2012
11:23 pm
Same old BS–no use asking Fredi anything.
Biff Pocoroba
July 2nd, 2012
11:28 pm
Yes, Hanson, you pitched great other than the runs you gave up. Just tip your hat to the Cubs for being agressive and not quitting on their lousy manager the way the Braves had. This teamw is awful and the farm clubs are awful so they can’t afford to trade away blind Brian McCann even though his career is over now. We have a chance to get some pitching help and Wren brings in a washed up injured guy who hasn’t pitched in two years. Nice job Frank. Just clean house since Bourn won’t come back next year. Go ahead and get rid of Heyward since he is peaking now but will go back to normal and bat .220 the rest of the year. Don’t wait until he is worthless like they did with Francour.
Leonard Parent
July 2nd, 2012
11:35 pm
This is just bad baseball! The manager should be fired. Whether he is good or not, this team needs a spark of some sort. I’ve been a Braves fan since ‘57, and Simmons is one of those special players you still keep watching games on TV!
Fats
July 2nd, 2012
11:41 pm
FG may be a dud when the dust settles after this season. Have to see if he makes a postive difference in these zombies that are “defending” their home turf.
Need a few more Don Rickles Braves fans to shake em up. 
Ralph
July 2nd, 2012
11:41 pm
If Samaerdzja could face the Braves everytime out he would go undefeated and win the Cy Young. Next time he pitches whoever will bomb his ass.
samard
NorCal Brave
July 2nd, 2012
11:41 pm
Jason Foster has he right idea; Braves are no different than the majority of the other .500 teams in baseball. There are no quick fixes this season. Tommy Hanson needn’t beat himself up over one bad inning; our hitters don’t discriminate, they stink no matter who our starter is.
Tina
July 2nd, 2012
11:47 pm
What the hell do we have to send a scout to watch Greinke we didnt send one before we got Livan. This team isnt going to no darn playoffs.FREDDI IS A FAT LOSER>
TuffShhhtuff
July 2nd, 2012
11:48 pm
The “softballs” normally lobbed over to FG by the sportswriters and broadcasters have now turned into “spongeballs”. Just as the “bunt that never happened” last week wasn’t questioned neither was the reason for leaving Hanson in to get behind by 3 runs in the 7th inning. The “back-slapping and attaboys” just continue for FG. They don’t have the guts to ask the hard questions. Might lose some privileges and benefits.
jim
July 2nd, 2012
11:49 pm
Manager is overmatched—get rid of him. Wren is just like Sund was—do nothing. If all these “phenoms” that are our pitchers are so good, then why can’t they get anybody out? Teheran is a joke, Minor is a joke. why aren’t they using Medlan as a starter????????
Ralph
July 2nd, 2012
11:50 pm
Good teams don’t worry about Hanson giving up 3 runs in an inning, they just come back and score 5
Ken Stallings
July 2nd, 2012
11:55 pm
Hanson deserved a better fate. In fact, he’s been deserving a better fate for months now! The team is frankly not scoring runs for him. And this Monday losing jinx is getting very old!
This Cubs pitcher was on a four-game losing streak and the Braves lineup made him look like the second coming of Greg Maddux!
PMC
July 2nd, 2012
11:57 pm
Chipper said it perfectly. Right now it’s just not pro baseball worthy as a team.
Ralph
July 2nd, 2012
11:59 pm
I have become so use to losing it doesn’t bother me anymore, if they do manage a win I am happy but every day I fully expect them to lose and I have a feeling the players do too. Fruti clearly is not inspiring this team, there is no fire, also i don’t think the players have much respect for him, i’m sure they all must think he is an idiot.
The Cap Tipper
July 3rd, 2012
12:24 am
Smarardzja was 0-4 with a 12.72 ERA BEFORE FACING THE BRAVES IN HIS LAST STARTS!!! Then they procede to make him look like Greg Maddux in his prime and say…”ohhh, he has got it back, he is really groovin it now”. It is sickening to listen to excuse after excuse after excuse!!! I looked at the pitching matchups…every cub starter had an ERA above 4, with some in the 5 and 6 range for this series….and yes, these ATL BRAVES THAT WEAR THAT PROUD UNIFORM…. WILL COME WITH EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE ABOUT HOW GREAT SAMARARDZJA, MAHOLM, GARZA, AND WHOEVER WERE, ACTING LIKE THEY ARE HALLADAY, HAMELS, AND CAIN GOING AFTER THEM. This is sickening to any true braves fan, and this team is full of nothing but choking, unclutch, losers for a team….starting with Chipper “excuses” Jones…
The Cap Tipper
July 3rd, 2012
12:40 am
Attention Braves fans…. I thought you might want to know that the middle of the Braves order is pathetic…and even though the worst manager in MLB history “Fredi Gonzalez” thinks we are fine, we are not!!!! The middle of our order consists of the following…
Brian McCann…. Hitting .226, terrible in clutch situations…hitting .186 in clutch situations
Freddie Freeman…. hitting .266 and hitting like .160 in clutch situations
Dan Uggla….hitting .232 and hitting like .184 in clutch situations
this is the heart of the team and everybody is underperforming….even Chipper is not performing lately…the top 2 (martin and bourn) are contributing but when you have the heart of the order performing like these guys…nobody scores. This is a bad mess…. need a power hitting middle of the lineup type guy who hits under pressure and those are not easy to come by. Atlanta may not make it this year, but next year Chipper and Hudson’s contracts come off the books and Mac can walk as well… start over new with Simmons, Bourne, Prado, and some good starting pitchers and we may have a chance!!!
Rick Camp
July 3rd, 2012
1:17 am
I can pitch and hit better than theses guys.
thomas smith
July 3rd, 2012
1:32 am
call terry francona tomorrow to coach braves and see what a good manager can do wjth this team.
ab initio
July 3rd, 2012
1:41 am
Frank Wren,
You suck.
That is all.
David the Shepherd
July 3rd, 2012
2:02 am
“These are clown questions Bro”—ACE
That’s funny, bro. I thought it quite amusing that DOB would use that lingo in a previous blog.
Mikey B
July 3rd, 2012
2:14 am
The Braves are like an abusive spouse. They beat you up with their awful play. They verbally berate you with their inability to score. They slap you around with dumb management decisions. Then when its over they go the media and apologize and promise they won’t do it again. And like the doormats us Braves fans are, we think they will change…until the next game when they blacken our eyes with a pitching or offensive meltdown. Pathetic.
David the Shepherd
July 3rd, 2012
2:15 am
“So, getting doubled off of 3rd in a 0-0 game was SMART baseball…?!?!?! The 3rd baseman wasn’t near the bag, so Simmons could have had plenty of time to get back IF he hadn’t broken toward home. I thought the baseball “fundamental” was to make sure a liner gets through the infield. I also thought the baseball fundamental is NOT to make the 1st or 3rd out at 3rd base. But, Fredi says it was smart baseball, so who am I to question it………………………………? It might have been nice to see if Prado would’ve knocked in that run………”—JCB
Once again, you have a legitimate question about fundamentals. If a team has excellent starting pitching and a potent offense, then fundamentals can be thrown out of the window sometimes, but the Braves have neither, so they must rely on being fundamentally sound and must take advantage of implementing the fundamentals when they have the opportunity; HOWEVER, one can clearly see that they do not have the direction needed to execute these actions and blame can squarely be placed on this pathetic “manager” that we must endure until next season. Wanna jump start the Braves??? Fire Fredi, make some deadline trades and let every “athlete” know that his job is on the line to perform to his capabilities. What a pleasant surprise Simmons has been!! It’s a shame that we have spark plugs like Prado, Simmons, Heyward, Freeman and even Bourn who seem to play hard every night, only to be countered by Fredi, who seems to think it’s all up to the baseball gods to determine who is victorious.
Bozo ( The Clown )
July 3rd, 2012
2:15 am
More clown questions, tee ball questions served up, appreciate what you do DOB as you have one of the biggest and best blogs out there but we would love to see Fredi answer some toughies…just sayin man
Bozo ( The Clown )
July 3rd, 2012
2:15 am
oh and clown responses..let me not forget that
David the Shepherd
July 3rd, 2012
2:18 am
If you have noticed, Chipper has made reference to the Braves looking like the Bad News Bears several times. This is the response of someone who might know something that we do not. Chipper as skipper in 2013???
aints=Dung
July 3rd, 2012
3:39 am
Braves quotes after Monday loss to Cubs:
we really lost to these pee ants……………..and the hits just keep on playing.
jim
July 3rd, 2012
3:46 am
When attendance drops significantly changes will be made. Stay away.
Hmmmm
July 3rd, 2012
3:47 am
outclassed by a guy who had been blasted in 3 of his past 4 starts and didn’t get a W in June (with his team 0-5 in his 5 starts). This is why we chop.
Can’t wait to see how bad 0-6, 7.46 ERA Chris Volstad works them over
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
July 3rd, 2012
5:17 am
it’s enough is time to bench McCaan and put Ross on
at least for a couple of weeks try that maybe Ross could be batting over .300 and McCaan maybe returns strong with clean-mind….
JAFO
July 3rd, 2012
5:45 am
Again…fat drunk and stupid is no way to manage…when is the last time this team came off the deck to rescue their sp? “This team as presently constituted…” Time for second season of frankie and fredi to be cancelled.
Charlie
July 3rd, 2012
6:03 am
The choke team of September 2011 is still inplace in 2012. Say what you want, the numbers bear it out.. This is the same group of losers. Can’t make the big pitch, can’t get the big hit, can’t make the big defensive play…This is a no-class group of choking losers. They proved it last year. The personal is the same. Sad group of chumps, managed by the biggest idiot in MLB.
Implode the entire bunch. Trade them off at the deal line.
Nothing was fixed (as promised) over the winter. Wren the Loser, and John S. just sit on their hands, and collect the big bucks…but then the Braves have a 25 man roster that does the same.
What a collection of losers.
NickGranite
July 3rd, 2012
6:40 am
We’re playing around .500 baseball against the best teams in baseball for the last six weeks…I mean no breaks. i think the announcers quoted over 40 games in a row against .500+ teams and that is a statistically improbable number. That tells me we can compete against the best. It also tells me that if your hovering around .500 against the best and you are playing a pile of your games against the best, you simply must beat the tar out of the cubs of the league to get to the playoffs.
NickGranite
July 3rd, 2012
6:49 am
@ Enough is enough. Remember when Ross came in for an extended period when McCann went down? He didn’t hit very well and wears down also, he’s around 33-34 years old. Ross is in a perfect niche right now and should not be disturbed from it. We have been spoiled by McCann the hitter. He’s on pace for about 18 homers and 70 RBIs and that’s not a bad number from the catcher position…albeit a low avg. Most teams do not depend on the catcher position being such a vital hitting cog. Heyward must continue to pick up the slack from RF (which is a hitting position) as well as Freeman at 1b. We are scoring enough runs, our achilles heel is bridging six inning starters to the closer. The starters run out of gas by the 7th so either they are ineffective or the reliever we bring in is…
alanfalcon
July 3rd, 2012
7:12 am
Chipper was close saying that they played like the Bad News Bears, they really play like a bad team and that shows because they can’t put it all together, they are not a good mix except for the before game antics in the dugout and that does not win games.
milesarcher33
July 3rd, 2012
7:22 am
Tommy Hansen looked great tonight. If a couple pitches break differentls the Braves probabaly would have won. But the Cubs are really on a hot streak. Soriano is back and their pitcher was really amazing last night. Unfortunately, you can’t win them all and the Cubs are hot. Let’s just tip our caps to the Cubs on this one and go on. Go Braves!!!!
Willy
July 3rd, 2012
7:25 am
This is the same team that everyone said was so fun to watch especially after the comeback win against Philly. The Braves will turn things around and get back to playing good baseball. Go Braves!
Charlie L
July 3rd, 2012
7:27 am
The Cubs? Really?
alanfalcon
July 3rd, 2012
7:28 am
VOTE NOW: The Freddie and Frank show needs to go, express your opinion daily til we get some answers, only those of us on this blog can bring this to ahead—vote now !!!!!!!
Le Fan
July 3rd, 2012
7:34 am
This team is the most APATHETIC team in baseball this year, and it all stems from one source…
the leather jacket, Harley riding, Fredi The Idiot Gonzalez
The man NEVER hits and runs, never squeezes, never sends runners in motion, never does anything that implores using STRATEGY….why? because he does not have the SKILLZ to do it…
Thats why the Marlins fired him….thats the reason why they held the door open for him on his way out…
Why cant WREN see this?? Why cant management see this? Where is John Schuerholz in the middle of all this debacle?? Wheres Bobby Cox???
Ive had it….Im not wasting my summer away sitting for four hours in front of the TV to get aggravated……Im done,man
OTP
July 3rd, 2012
7:36 am
I find myself feeling uncomfortable watching these guys bat. McCann appears as though he cannot even see when he is up there, squinting the whole time. I know Freeman is going to swing at the first pitch, no matter what. And Uggla just looks plain pathetic. Between his lack of offense, and his pretty shoddy defense, I cannot believe the guy is going to the All Star Game. (Did he really make three errors the last time he played in the ASG?)
Ihop Monsta!!!
July 3rd, 2012
7:58 am
EnWhen pitchers allow 4 runs or less blame offense for loss.
Ihop Monsta!!!
July 3rd, 2012
7:58 am
EnWhen pitchers allow 4 runs or less blame offense for loss.
Let's Go
July 3rd, 2012
8:03 am
I’m as furstrated as most of you here but the fact is I didn’t expect a whole lot coming out of Spring Training. The Braves didn’t hit all spring, the pitching overall was shaky and the one starter that looked good was Minor. After starting 0 and 4 they came around and gave a lot of us hope in April but since then they are 27 and 29 and lets be honest they are what they are and that is a 500 team at best.
The problem now is what do you do at this point of the season. With the added wild card team every team that is around the 500 mark is still in it and looking at the standings today probably only Houston, San Diego, the Cubs and Rockies are out of it. So in the next week or so the Braves have to decide if they are buyers or sellers? If they are buyers no doubt they will have to give up a lot of the farm system, especially if they go after 2 pitchers. They may have to include Chris Medlen in any deal to get a stud and I read last night that the Twins will probably want Bethancourt if the Braves want to deal for Liriano. If the Braves are sellers who do you sell? Everybody wants pitching and most teams need bullpen help so if they Braves go in this direction they could make a major steal of some young players by trading players like Medlen, Venters, Durbin, O’Flaherty. Also, if sellers you might as well deal Bourn and Jurrgens now and maybe even McCann if the return is big enough.
Buckbaloweme
July 3rd, 2012
8:09 am
very well said Le Fan.
alex
July 3rd, 2012
8:13 am
end of july, FW wakes up and FG is gone…mark my words, the wizard has spoken……(just let me dream!?!)
Can We Talk?
July 3rd, 2012
8:15 am
From Freddie’s comments:
“On Bourn hitting into double play (Simmons doubled off third)
“In that situation, you’ve got to sell out and go on contact. The score was 0-0 at the time. You’ve got to go on contact. You can’t read the ball there, for me anyway. If that ball is on the ground, he scores easy. It was an aggressive play and we hit a line drive at the shortstop. That’s the way it goes.”
Only one out. infield pulled in. Simmons on third. A line shot from the batter. A runner in that position HAS to make sure its through the infield.If it is, he walks in.
Freddie can defend his player to the media all he wants, but the kid made a mistake.
Also, in the 6th when Roger McDowell came out to talk to Hanson. Next pitch clears the bases.
I wonder what Roger said? Throw strikes?
Hanson said it was a bad pitch on his part. Guess we’ll never know.
shorty
July 3rd, 2012
8:36 am
Problem Solving 101: Fire Fredi..he is one of the worst managers the Braves have ever had..I’ve been a Braves fan for 50 years and have never seen a more inept manager and please JS if worthless Wren can’t fire him send them both packing.
Backdoor Slider
July 3rd, 2012
8:42 am
THE FREDI MISTAKE
Here’s an old post from October 12th, 2010 by The Capitol Avenue Club. See if it doesn’t now ring true to you:
THIS IS A MISTAKE
“I won’t spend too much time discussing this, but here goes.
Quite simply I think this is a huge mistake.
Fredi Gonzalez is not Bobby Cox.
Just because he has worked with Bobby Cox does not mean he will be as effective as Bobby Cox. He won’t.
The thing that made Bobby so great was his ability to get the most from his players. They always played hard, they never quit, they never said a single bad thing about him. A lot of this is a result of Bobby’s players-first management style, but also a result of Bobby’s personality. Fredi and Bobby do not have identical personalities, and Fredi will not be able to command the same type of respect from his players. He won’t be able to get as much out of them as Bobby did.
And then there’s the strategy thing. Let me just say, by the end of year one we will all wish Bobby were managing the games, where he only ordered one stupid bunt or only batted one player with a crappy on-base percentage at the top of the order or only used one too many relievers each night. Don’t expect the in-game managerial blunders to go away, this decision only exacerbates the issue.
Expect less of the things that made us love Bobby and more of the things that made us infuriated with him. That’s essentially what they’ve opted for, a version of Bobby with less of his good qualities and an exaggerated propensity for over-management.
Rather than finding the best man for the job, the organization has taken the easy way out. “He’s been a part of a successful Bobby Cox staff? Sure, we’ll hire him! That makes it simple, no thinking involved.”
Like I said, I don’t want to spend too much time discussing this. I’m not going to crucify him before he begins the job, and I’ll try to keep an open mind about this whole thing, but I do sincerely believe this is a gigantic mistake that the organization will severely regret.” — End quote.
Lamentably, what was written in 2010 has become glaringly and repeatedly true!
mike
July 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
To Eaf1980: Then don’t watch. You won’t get aggravated….
Ekim
July 3rd, 2012
8:49 am
Looks easy from the couch, doesn’t it?
mediocrity continues...
July 3rd, 2012
8:54 am
Woke up this morning and just tipped my cap to the Cubs, they have a great squad over there…
mike
July 3rd, 2012
8:56 am
Why does everybody think that sportswriters should ask “tough” questions? Their job is not to question managers’ decisions. Their job is to “write” about what they see. Hence the term “sportswriters”. If you want the “hard” questions asked then call the front desk or become a sportswriter.
TPic
July 3rd, 2012
8:57 am
Can we Talk?, I didn’t see the game though you mention the infield was playing in. That makes the DP all the more damning. Clearly, Simmons made a mistake and while he is a rookie, there is no excuse for his blunder. The question I have is what the hell do we have a 3rd base coach for? The fundamentals on this team are atrocious from bad defensive play to awful baserunning. That is a coaching/managing problem. How about reminding the kid where the infield is and DO NOT run on contact. Bourn beats out lots of infield hits and your best hitter follows him. When the ball gets to the grass – you get to run. Until then park your ass on this bag. The unprinted quote from Snitker….”Well, you have to tip your hate to that Cubbie defense. They really made us look like ass clowns on that one”.
bobby
July 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
Everyone may as well face it, despite the poor manager this team is going nowhere unless they can come up with a pitching staff that can throw shutouts every game. Seldom has a team assembled such a collection of poor hitters especially with RISP. I would wager that when they have a man or third with no or one out that don’t score him 75% of the time. Pathetic!
Can We Talk?
July 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
To the folks who say Freddie should go.
In 2010 when Feddie G. was fired by the Marlins, they were 35-36 & 7 1/2 games out.
After he was gone, they went 45-46, finishing 80-82 17 games out in 3rd place.(Braves were wild card)
Looks to me there was no effect whatever on that team’s performance.They were .500 under him and without him.(the ownership said they would and could do better.)
Conclusions?
Neither Freddie nor his successor could inspire better play out of the Marlins roster.
The Marlins roster that year could not play better than they did and finished where their abilities led them.
The team had among the lowest payrolls in MLB-prehaps their record is as good as they would get.
Luck plays a role in baseball, and the Marlins were not a lucky team.
The psychology of a team who stopped playing for one manager might have been they don’t have to play for the next one either.
The cues we need to pay attention to for the rest of the season:
Will our players stop playing for FG?-Will they continue to run it out, dive, make the extra effort?
Will we see a lack of strategy being deployed in key game situations?
Will the after game comments serve to protect players from faulty decisions or misplays?
Will they also give the other team a lot of credit exclusive of the Braves not executing either in the field or at the bat?
The answers to those questions will help us understand if FG will be here next year even before the season is over. (I expect he will be here, politically he seems rather skilled)
I also believe, that while we have a talented team, I think they Braves knew the starting rotation was a fragile thing this year and making the play offs was at best 50/50.
Farnsworthy
July 3rd, 2012
9:11 am
2012 Braves: Bad. They are bad. Not just bad, but real bad.
Fire Wren. He’s the architect of these disasters we have to endure year after year.
Borrow Danny Ferry from the Hawks to come in and clean house.
Brave Hokie
July 3rd, 2012
9:19 am
LOSER Play’as
LOSER Team
LOSER Manager
LOSER GM
LOSERVILLE
Anyone who gives these people their $$$, is an idiot,
Bill M.
July 3rd, 2012
9:21 am
The Braves are pathetic. They should do like the Hawks, get rid of the dead wood. It’s time to trade McCann, Hudson, Bourn, Venters and any others that would bring back some players that hit. They can trade for pitcher’s but as long as they don’t hit, it will make no differance.
jt
July 3rd, 2012
9:21 am
I too have had it! Sitting in front of TV (out of town) to watch what used to be a fun team to watch. I now can guess what will happen next, I said to my son last night, “well Hanson will give the lead back to them in the next inning” well guess what? Even the pitches that these guys will strike out on, especially that “fat tub of lard Hinske, and good ole Uggla swinging at balls out of the strike zone. Someone should tell Dan to lay off the down and out pitches, Good Grief, and he is going to All Star game, must be hard up for 2nd basemen.
Wasted my last evening on these losers!
N'Qan
July 3rd, 2012
9:41 am
4th or worse in division.
scole
July 3rd, 2012
9:46 am
Remember when FG was at Miami and he was losing? Miami fired himand Bobby went on a tirade about how Freddie was treated by Miami and he ended up here. Then he was hired as manager to replace Bobby. Do we blame Bobby for the braves hiring Freddie? Maybe Miami was a lot smarter than Bobby led us to believe.
Yogi Berra
July 3rd, 2012
9:56 am
The Blame starts and ends with Frank Wren!
PMC
July 3rd, 2012
10:01 am
Maybe David Ross could be the catcher for the next week or so.
Jason's Sweet Cheeks
July 3rd, 2012
10:02 am
2 things: 1- Braves don’t ever score first. Always behind. 2 When Brave hitters get 2 strikes on them the next pitch will be a breaking ball or change up. This is double trouble. That is one reason that they lose, They should know that off speed pitch is coming. Do they care? NO!
PMC
July 3rd, 2012
10:04 am
Miami is not smart 1st of all. Freddie did a decent job there. Look at them now, they built a a stadium tiled up like a bathroom, they built the silliest HR display ever conceived and even after spending tons of money they are even worse than the average Braves right now.
Freddie hasn’t been good so far, if they don’t make the playoffs, this year, there’s no reason for him to still be employed in Atlanta after this season.
Brock
July 3rd, 2012
10:05 am
Cubs came to town at 29-49 and 14 games out of the central in the cellar. Braves made them look like world beaters.
We need some beaters on our team. Players should be held accountable.
How ’bout this. Designate a punch guy for players who strike out. A guy that is not starting that day(say Hinske). There are five places you can punch a guy(player can possibly get 5 at bats in one game). First K- you get a punch in the arm. Second K- punch in the gut. Third K-punch in the ass crack. Fourth K- punch in the face and the fifth K a punch in the nads.
And if Fredi makes a stupid comment like “Tip your cap” or a bonehead move during the game he gets a punch from each player………wherever they want.
At least it would be entertaining.
PMC
July 3rd, 2012
10:11 am
I very much appreciate all Mac has done for the team, but right now, David Ross is playing better than he is.
The Truth....
July 3rd, 2012
10:19 am
you gotta tip your cap to the cubs…they played well. There a pretty good team…..bla, bla, bla…. Nice off season work FRANK! Keep up the good job!
The Truth....
July 3rd, 2012
10:22 am
Booby Cox was overated! ALl that talent and only one WS title! LaRussa or Torre would have won 2 or 3!!
Jason's Sweet Cheeks
July 3rd, 2012
10:27 am
Score first. 5 runs by 5th inn. Easy .Right? Not for this team. Why? Because they don’t care.
Curt
July 3rd, 2012
10:35 am
The Cubs pitcher last night was dealing and the Braves had not much for him. However, the Cubs pen is terrible and the Braves still could do nothing.
FG comment about Simmons being caught off is ridiculas. Every player has been told from little league that you freeze on line drives until the ball gets throug,especially when you are at 3rd. And, the infield was in and Simmons was going no where on a ground ball unless it got through so all he was supposed to do is wait for the ball to get into the outfield and trot home. It appears that both Simmons and Snitker fell asleep. Just no excuse at this level.
DawgDad
July 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
Got to keep some perspective here. The Braves aren’t a BAD team at all – they are a MEDIOCRE team, albeit one with plus-.500 potential if things break right.
Starting the season without a Major League shortstop hurt. Committing $10 million to a player to NOT play hurt. Losing Beachy hurt. Relying on a 40-year old, a beat-up catcher who can’t see, a sophomore first baseman (re: sophomore slump), and a second baseman who disappeared offensively for five months in 2011 to anchor the middle of the lineup is dragging the team down. Relying on a collection of unproven and injured starters has taken a toll. The biggest power threat in the outfield is 22 years old. The starting shortstop is 22 years old. The bench is a collection of weather-beaten splinters. I mean, just what does everybody expect out of this team?
reckingball
July 3rd, 2012
10:51 am
This is bad, I mean really bad.
The Braves need to get rid of everyone and hire players just like the Yankees have.
The kind of players that never lose a game.
jek
July 3rd, 2012
10:52 am
More Freddi stupidity. This was another managers loss . Hansen has not gone 7 innings. After the first two runners get on base why is Hansen still on the mound. Next a walk–WTF– Still in there to give up the go-ahead double–WTFF. Stupidity is not fun to watch.
JAFO
July 3rd, 2012
10:57 am
Right on Curt. Simple fundamentals learned at an early age. For fg to explain it any other way is imbecilic. The game is just too fast for him. Probably doesnt matter in the final result but it is a continual theme of missed opportunities to find a way, ANYgdway, to cross the plate.
reckingball
July 3rd, 2012
10:59 am
The Braves are streaky, I think that JJ will put in a good turn tonight.
The bats will get going again, and the Braves will streak out to the All-Star game in winning fashion(at least 5 out of 6 wins).
go braves
Jason's Sweet Cheeks
July 3rd, 2012
11:01 am
@ Reckingball Face reality This is not a good team. If you don’t think so then go somewhere else where they belive in reality. If not then just shut the H… up.
reckingball
July 3rd, 2012
11:02 am
I don’t know for sure, but I have heard rumors, that Fredi Gonzalez, was responsible for the crash of all the banks and investment firms in 2008, that has led to this recession.
Jason's Sweet Cheeks
July 3rd, 2012
11:08 am
@ reckingball Get back to me when the Braves are in last place and you can see reality.
reckingball
July 3rd, 2012
11:13 am
Sweet Cheeks…..Why should I go somewhere else, the reality is that they are still in the race.
Your comments are very juvenile(i.e. punkish). haha.
go braves
Larry
July 3rd, 2012
11:13 am
reckingball,
Some babies were dropped on their heads but you were clearly thrown at a wall.
Where’s Lewd and LoboSoDumb?
DawgDad
July 3rd, 2012
11:15 am
reckingball: I hope you’re right, but looking down the road the Braves are razor-thin on talent and can’t withstand any more key injuries or slumps. They could all magically rebound or mature and play well, but what makes you believe they will? Bourn, Prado, and Jones aren’t going to get any better. Uggla and McCann are going downhill, not up. The pitching is what it is for this year, inconsistent and barely able to scrape out five innings a start.
Outside of Bourn (who they won’t be able to sign) and Prado, the most exciting players on the team are the very young kids – Heyward, Simmons, Freeman, Kimbrel. Can’t trade Jones at this point, but it’s getting close to time to move out the vets who won’t be here for the Championship fireworks anyway: Bourn, Uggla, McCann, Hinske, Wilson, Ross, Diaz, Hudson, Hanson, JJ, Durbin, and perhaps some other bullpen pieces. Maybe you decide to sign Hanson or JJ, fine. The rest are not likely to see any post-season activity in Atlanta. Bring in some more prospects and build a more complete and athletic team around Heyward, Simmons, Freeman, and Prado. When Chipper retires and the Lowe contract expires the Braves can shop for veterans to anchor the pitching and lineup.
Jason's Sweet Cheeks
July 3rd, 2012
11:18 am
Poor reckingball. Living in a dreamworld.
arizona brave
July 3rd, 2012
11:18 am
The team has got to do something to get fired up.Change the batting order,bring up Costanza but do something!!!The only players that seems to care are Prado and Simmons,the rest seem to be just going thru the motions.