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3,084 comments Add your comment
Danga
July 11th, 2012
2:44 pm
I’d love the guy in LF in 2013
Double Upton OF for 2013!
Shaun
July 11th, 2012
2:46 pm
TennesseePaul, also, I’m not even necessarily arguing for more efficiency or nickle and diming. Maybe the Braves spend the same or even more if they trade Uggla. But maybe they get more wins for their buck.
Say some team gives the Braves a solid young player for Uggla that can contribute at the major league level and that other team picks up most of Uggla’s contract. Say they go with someone like Pastornicky at second. Say they spend a significant chunk of change on centerfield, leftfield, a starter and a reliever. Say they end up with a higher payroll than in 2012 but, partially because of the contract relief they get from trading Uggla, they are able to acquire talented players in other areas and that leads to more wins. This is essentially what I’m talking about.
Now, of course I’m not pretending things would absolutely work out this way or that it’s a sure thing they can. I’m just arguing that I don’t think that scenario is far-fetched. And I’m saying that Uggla may have the most burdensome contract, so he may be the first place to look if the Braves try to go with that type of scenario; not that Uggla’s contract is awful or that Uggla is a terrible player and that I want him gone just because. I certainly would only want to make that kind of a trade with Uggla if it would play out similarly to what I mentioned. Make sense? See where I’m coming from?
cricket
July 11th, 2012
2:46 pm
Prado will sign 7mil per extension if offered for the security and comfort it provides and hopefully will be able to get his mother in US.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
2:47 pm
Prado is worth more than $7.
.320 .307 .307 .260 (injuries, new position) .321
.297 career hitter who can play about 4 positions fairly well?
And character wise, he’s a dream.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
2:47 pm
Double Upton OF for 2013!
nolie would have a seizure. Can’t risk it, LOL.
Travis
July 11th, 2012
2:48 pm
cricket
July 11th, 2012
2:46 pm
Prado will sign 7mil per extension if offered for the security and comfort it provides and hopefully will be able to get his mother in US.
How can you possibly know that?
DAP
July 11th, 2012
2:53 pm
shaun, i thought wins didnt matter. why are you citing win percentage difference in your 2:23 post? thats a new one for you, i think. whats your reasoning there?
Travis
July 11th, 2012
2:54 pm
Uggla makes me nuts with his inconsistency but he always comes through. Maybe in his later years he will stop trying to put every hit into orbit and become a better hitter for average. Hard to bench a 30 hr 100+ RBI guy.
Mikeyc588
July 11th, 2012
2:55 pm
Shaun –
You’re right about W/L, but you can’t then go on to cite winning percentage.
Greinke and Hamels are the two best pitchers available (or potentially available) right now, but I’m just trying to be realistic about the Braves. I’d be ecstatic to get a guy like that and sign him long term, but I just think the chances are almost nil. Does anyone honestly believe that Greinke and Hamels won’t get around $20mm per year or more? I’d much rather have Bourn and a guy like Wandy next year than just Greinke or Hamels for the something around the same amount. Mid-payroll teams just can’t afford to invest that much (20% or more of payroll) in a starting pitcher, IMO.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
2:58 pm
Prado is worth more than $7.
I’ve come to love the guy, but still…his bat doesn’t really profile at a corner, and he would end up playing one in Atlanta regardless of whoever else the Braves might acquire in the future (barring Coach’s fantasy of Uggla going to LF. OK, back to planet Earth, now). That hurts his value here, a little. Another team that wanted to play him at 2B might value him a little more, but he’s not a great defensive IF, so that might be a wash.
I don’t know who his comparables might be, but I don’t get the sense that he’s one of those $12MM-$14MM guys. In other words, he might indeed be worth more than 7, but how much of a gap there is between that and his actual worth might be less than Braves’ fans think.
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:02 pm
winning is the overriding factor bringing fans to ballparks
From 1997 through 2004 the Braves won every single year, fielded 5 100+ win teams, went to the WS 1 time, LCS 3 times and the post season every year. Over that span of persistent winning and excellence the Braves saw attendance drop by 33%.
In 2005 the Braves saw the first increase in attendance in nearly a decade. That year they played a bunch of home grown local kids. That event had more value than the actual results on the field. In the time those local kids were together on the team, attendance rose every year. The team lost consistently and sometimes even brutally during that time, but the attendance increased.
Winning is not inherently going to bring increase in attendance.
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:02 pm
barring Coach’s fantasy of Uggla going to LF.
I must admit to this one as well.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:03 pm
The Fed: “…unusually high uncertainty”
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:04 pm
“Uggla makes me nuts with his inconsistency but he always comes through.”
He what? Always comes through? If you watch just the highlight clip(s), I guess so.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:04 pm
I must admit to this one as well.
This, too, shall pass.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:05 pm
Is any position weaker in baseball than 3b?
Something like 5 years for $35M for Prado seems… low.
cricket
July 11th, 2012
3:06 pm
Travis – about Prado signing for 7 mil extension – just my opinion. He is always called underrated, which is true but I think he will be underrated on FA market also. He also would be more risk aversion oriented given his background and the struggles he had to overcome. Again, just my opinion. Let us see how it unfolds.
MFin04
July 11th, 2012
3:07 pm
What is the deal with the love for the Upton’s on this blog? Is it because they are black baseball players and there are soo few of them? All I hear about them is that they aren’t really high character guys. Why would you want to deal Martin Prado for one of them?
And isn’t Justin only a good hitter at home?
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:07 pm
Something like 5 years for $35M for Prado seems… low.
What about 5 and 40?
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:08 pm
But you know what? Prado has turned himself into a very good defensive LFer. Now I know that LF defense is not something you generally care about, but it does add to the package. Braves are probably fielding the best OF defense in baseball right now.
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:09 pm
Look at a team like the 2001 Mariners…
And like I said Payne, I understand the theory and the practice. But this Atlanta Braves team is not facing any event which requires them to make the move you are suggesting. There’s nothing that is pushing them to make a hole at 2nd base to diversify players. Nothing. No reason to trade Uggla whatsoever. Even in the fanciful world of wheeling and dealing to implement strategies, it isn’t necessary. The team has the financial flexibility to build on what it already has. The team is in no position which would require them to “create salary relief” and thus call for moving Uggla on the off chance the return value is better. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to do this even in theory when discussing the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Braves payroll, the Atlanta Braves roster, and how all of it works over the next three years for the Atlanta Braves.
Since57
July 11th, 2012
3:10 pm
Hey DOB, I’m assuming that Braves will not pull the trigger on a stopgap move for a SS and plan to limp along with Wilson & Pastor till Andrelton returns. Have you heard anything to the contrary? Do you think Dempster is the most likely deadline SP target?
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:11 pm
But you know what? Prado has turned himself into a very good defensive LFer.
I didn’t think that he would embarass himself out there, but he’s actually been pretty solid, you’re right.
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:14 pm
I’m saying that Uggla may have the most burdensome contract
He’s the only one with a contract. And it isn’t even as big as some other recent multi-year deals the Braves had. If this team somehow finds its way into a financial pickle anytime over the duration of Uggla’s contract (this year and then 3 more years), the team has bigger problems than Uggla’s contract. They would have jacked up something else along the way for that contract to become “burdensome.”
Travis
July 11th, 2012
3:14 pm
count_schemula…I totally agree with the aggrevation Uggla causes with his heliocopter swing and massive foul ball moon shots. It just seems that in the end, every year he somehow manages to accomplish what he was hired to do. Hit homers and push runner accross the dish. He makes the highlight reels and people vote for him to be an allstar. If he had hit two tape measure homers during the allstar game he would once again be beloved by all who love the long ball.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:15 pm
Mfin04 making some generalizations. I know I see Heyward “in da club erry night making dat rain.”
Atlanta actually could benefit from having some black players. Been to a Braves game lately? Been anywhere else in the city lately? Heyward and Upton at their age in the OF would be a great thing for Atlanta baseball in that sense.
But the Uptons are known head cases. Regardless, Justin is 24 and finished 4th in MVP voting last year and most believe he has far from peaked.
Double regardless, he ain’t going anywhere. Just trying to keep the Dbacks in the news is all.
MDW
July 11th, 2012
3:17 pm
Ray Dandridge was (easily) the 2nd-best 3B ever. Chipper 3. Brett 4. Brooks Robinson 5.
cricket
July 11th, 2012
3:17 pm
chipper’s ASG speech -
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/chipper-jones–last-all-star-game-was-perfect-from-his-humble-pregame-speech-to-his-modest-single.html
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:18 pm
All I hear about them is that they aren’t really high character guys.
BJ has had his share of issues. I don’t recall ever hearing anything about Justin. It isn’t like either one of these guys has been arrested. BJ to me seems like a kid who could use a solid, veteran clubhouse, but he may just be a spoiled brat. Justin on the other hand has performed very well and is still very young.
ncbravesfan90
July 11th, 2012
3:19 pm
On MLBTR Chat, hmmm:
3:17
Comment From Cory
How much steam does this Justin Upton to Atlanta seem to have?
3:17
Ben Nicholson-Smith: None, as far as I can tell. It’s just Olney’s speculation. But Olney is really tapped in, so when he speculates, I listen.
ncbravesfan90
July 11th, 2012
3:19 pm
On MLBTR Chat, hmmm:
3:17
How much steam does this Justin Upton to Atlanta seem to have?
3:17
Ben Nicholson-Smith: None, as far as I can tell. It’s just Olney’s speculation. But Olney is really tapped in, so when he speculates, I listen.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:21 pm
Prado, Teheran and Minor for Upton?
AZ would not do it. We would not do it. It’s not gonna happen.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
3:23 pm
nscoots…”I don’t know who his comparables might be”
That’s the funny thing. I’ve always said he’s Placido Polanco version 2.0. Another guy that teams never signed to extensions but regretted it later on. Got a friend who’s a Detroit Tiger fan, and he said one of the biggest mistakes the Tigers made was not re-signing Polanco after the 2009 season. They regressed in 2010, partly because they lacked a solid contact hitter to put in the lineup in front of Miggy and Magglio.
Prado’s one of those guys few will appreciate until he’s gone. He does so many things well and I would hate to see him hitting .320 for another team. But I could be swayed for Justin Upton.
jeffrey d
July 11th, 2012
3:24 pm
Have we discussed Kinsler’s comments on Chipper’s hit?
“In the regular season,” second baseman Ian Kinsler said, “I’m picking up that ball and throwing it to first.”
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:25 pm
Polanco was crazy. I had no idea he was that solid with the stick all these years.
2000+ hits .300BA
Has NEVER struck out 50 times in a season.
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:26 pm
On MLBTR Chat, hmmm:
3:17
How much steam does this Justin Upton to Atlanta seem to have?
3:17
Ben Nicholson-Smith: Look, I just copy and paste tweets and articles. Have you read them? Yes? Well you know as much as me, maybe a bit more because I didn’t finish reading them.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:26 pm
“Have we discussed Kinsler’s comments on Chipper’s hit?”
If that’s what he said he did not need to say that…
CrαZy
July 11th, 2012
3:26 pm
“I’m picking up that ball and throwing it to first.”
He probably would have, but I’m not 100% sure he would’ve had him out even if he had.
Brian from SC
July 11th, 2012
3:26 pm
Kinsler pulled up on the ball, but he also broke the wrong direction after it was hit. I suspect both may have been on purpose.
Travis
July 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
Sometimes players get hyped long before they have really proven themselves and get caought up in it. French a litlle bit and the Upton brothers a lot. Heyward seems a little more grounded. That’s why I think Bryce Harper needs to cool it a little. Professionals don’t like being reminded that they aren’t up to your abilities. Look at Tiger when he was kicking butt on the PGA Tour. Some of the veterans weren’t thrilled everyone assumed they were just competing to be second.
MFin04
July 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
“Mfin04 making some generalizations. I know I see Heyward “in da club erry night making dat rain.””
I didn’t make any generalizations. From what I’ve heard BJ Upton is a head case, and someone the other day mentioned Justin was as well. I haven’t heard anything about Justin myself though.
But I didn’t make one generalization.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
3:29 pm
count…”Atlanta actually could benefit from having some black players. Been to a Braves game lately? Been anywhere else in the city lately? Heyward and Upton at their age in the OF would be a great thing for Atlanta baseball in that sense.”
Upton would definitely put a few more butts in the seats. No doubt about that. Although I don’t think it would be because he’s black. I’m not sure that demographic is flocking to the sport of baseball, regardless of who is on the field.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:30 pm
“All I hear about them is that they aren’t really high character guys.”
I read “them” to be beyond the Uptons which is probably what you meant.
Misunderstanding. Apologies.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:30 pm
Placido Polanco version 2.0. Another guy that teams never signed to extensions
But Polanco never made as much as $6MM in a season (age and timing, I guess, moreso than talent level). And while you may be right about the Tigers’ decline in 2010, it appears that they were, at most, one year early in cutting ties. Had they signed the guy to a deal, it surely would have included 2011 and 2012, maybe longer. That wouldn’t have been a good signing.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:31 pm
Trade a guy that has better career numbers than Greinke, yet sign Greinke for 4 times the money, a guy that you think will wilt in the spotlight?…Bat
no accounting for some folks’ ideas…..
MFin04
July 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
“He probably would have, but I’m not 100% sure he would’ve had him out even if he had.”
I don’t know if he broke the wrong way, but he was shifted up the middle quite a bit, Chipper was hustling, I’m not sure he gets Chipper out on the play even if he gloves it and throws to first.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
Anyway, I think Atlanta probably has as many mexicans as they do african-americans. They could always bring Armando Reynoso out of retirement.
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:33 pm
“Upton would definitely put a few more butts in the seats. No doubt about that. Although I don’t think it would be because he’s black. I’m not sure that demographic is flocking to the sport of baseball, regardless of who is on the field.”
Long term this could (and should) change. As the NFL looks increasingly like a way to get brain damaged and limp around the rest of your life… baseball is going to look better and better to kids who would have otherwise have been pushed towards football. Basketball is a little different. You are either 6′ 4″ + or you are not.
That’s kind of the Heyward story isn’t it? His parents would not even let him play football.
Shaun
July 11th, 2012
3:34 pm
TennesseePaul, winning is the biggest factor. It’s not the only factor but it’s the biggest factor. Also, if a team has been a playoff team for a long time, making the playoffs and losing in the first round may not be enough for their fans. I think when there was a perception of the Braves that they can’t make it deep in to the playoffs, that’s when attendance dropped. When there was a perception that they had a shot to go deeper, that’s when attendance increased again. In 2005 they acquired Hudson, Smoltz was back in the rotation, they were coming off a season of good run prevention, so it looked like the glory days of strong pitching was back, to some degree, and the perception was that they had a couple of studs that could get them out of the first round, possibly deeper.
You’re right about W/L, but you can’t then go on to cite winning percentage
Mikeyc588, I cited their winning percentage to show that their individual winning percentages were influenced by the teams they were on more than influenced by how good they were. Greinke pitched most of his career for a terrible franchise and still posted a near .500 winning pct. for that franchise. So his winning percentage doesn’t tell us how great a pitcher he was. Wandy had a better winning pct. than his team but the difference is not as stark as the difference in Greinke’s and the Royals’. My point was that this is essentially the reason we shouldn’t put a lot of stock in a pitcher’s winning percentage.
Brian from SC
July 11th, 2012
3:35 pm
If Kinsler had broken in the right direction initially, he would have gotten to the ball easily and thrown him out. I guess it’s just conjecture that he broke wrongly on purpose, but it seemed awful strange for a veteran infielder to do so on a weak ground ball. As soon as the ball was hit, he took at least a step toward second base.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:36 pm
his bat doesn’t really profile at a corner, …scoots
oh pooh. his OPS is well above average for a corner guy,126 sOPS+ compared to all left fielders this season. how does 26% above average not compute to a COF?
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:37 pm
In 2010, the city of Atlanta was 54.0% black, 38.4% white, down from 61.7% in 1960,[59] and 3.1% Asian, with 5.2% Hispanic ancestry. 8.0% were foreign born, while the metro as a whole was 13.6% foreign-born.
Courtesy of the always accurate wikipedia.
Bat Masterson
July 11th, 2012
3:37 pm
Have we discussed Kinsler’s comments on Chipper’s hit?
“In the regular season,” second baseman Ian Kinsler said, “I’m picking up that ball and throwing it to first.”
Why spoil the gesture by saying so………… I mean most people watching probably thought so, too. dummy
CrαZy
July 11th, 2012
3:38 pm
Upton would definitely put a few more butts in the seats
Upton isn’t making me buy more tickets!!
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:39 pm
oh pooh.
Hey, can I help it if LF is an overall hole this season? That’s not my fault, man.
He’s not a corner bat, OPS notwithstanding.
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:39 pm
From DOB’s quotes article:
On whether AL 2B Kinsler might have gone a little harder after ball
“You think he pulled up? [Laughter.] I don’t know. It’s most appreciated. I’m 1-for-1.”
Chipper sure didn’t seem to mind.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
3:40 pm
nscoots…
Apples and oranges dude. Polanco was 34 on the back end of that deal with Detroit. My point was Prado is similar to Polanco, in that he always gets undervalued for what he brings to the table. I think Prado is the most consistently good player on the entire roster. I’ll take his steady .300 hitting all season long over Uggla’s feast or famine production.
You guys just need to get used to it, I’m going to support undervalued guys like Prado and Medlen until they’re no longer on the roster. I think Prado is a fantastic ballplayer and I think Medlen has the stuff and makeup to be a 20-game winner. You know what you get with these guys, there’s value in that.
cricket
July 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
here’s the whole part of article about kinsler thing -
“In the regular season,” second baseman Ian Kinsler said, “I’m picking up that ball and throwing it to first.”
Problem was, Kinsler had neither stretched properly nor run a sprint for two days.
“My hamstrings always exploded,” he said. “It was very lethargic. I felt like I had cement in my shoes.”
Now, Kinsler may have been sandbagging. Perhaps he took a lesson from Chan Ho Park in the 2003 All-Star game, when he grooved Cal Ripken Jr. a first-pitch fastball and watched it soar for a home run. To Kinsler, 30, Chipper Jones might as well have been Cal Ripken.
“I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and we didn’t have baseball,” Kinsler said. “We had TBS and WGN. The Cubs were basically nap time, and the Braves were the tomahawk chop. I started crying one World Series when they lost. I was up on the couch jumping, doing the tomahawk chop, and they lose the game, and I go to my room crying, and my dad says, ‘What are you doing crying? You don’t even like them.’ But I was so into it, because Chipper was a big part of that.”
MFin04
July 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
“Trade a guy that has better career numbers than Greinke, yet sign Greinke for 4 times the money, a guy that you think will wilt in the spotlight?”
Heck could always keep Jurrjens instead of all that.
Efrim
July 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
scoots, you don’t think he’s a good defensive 3rd baseman? I’ve always thought that was his best position?
As to the contract for Prado, I’ve always felt that if Prado gets 7.5 million through arbitration next year, a 3 year, 27 million dollar extension was a solid offer for him. That’s 34.5 million through 2016 – his age 32 year old season(turns 33 in October of 2016).
Travis
July 11th, 2012
3:43 pm
I dont think that many more butts have been in the seats with Heyward and Bourne in the line up. Attendance is about where it always is. Those 100 degree temps put a lot of sweaty butts in the seats!!
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:43 pm
Knuckler, do you just not see the “c” in my moniker, or is it just missing from the keyboard, LOL?
You guys just need to get used to it, I’m going to support undervalued guys like Prado and Medlen until they’re no longer on the roster.
I’m spitballin’ here, but, you’re a gritty guy, right?
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
“I started crying one World Series when they lost. I was up on the couch jumping, doing the tomahawk chop, and they lose the game, and I go to my room crying”
We’ve all been there… lol
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
here’s the whole part of article about kinsler thing -
Makes a world of difference when you put the quote in context.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
so what? Its all about homers no matter the rest that make good OPS?nah I don’t think so. I’d take him in left with no trouble at all. course you always was a Prado hater………..
count_schemula
July 11th, 2012
3:47 pm
Fun vote time!
Would you rather have two Prados or one Prado and one Uggla?
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:47 pm
you don’t think he’s a good defensive 3rd baseman?
I do think that’s his best defensive position, but I was looking at how other teams might value him more at 2B than at 3B. He’s not as good at 2B as he is at 3B, but he’s no slouch at either one, and I hope I didn’t imply that. Just not elite or anything.
Shaun
July 11th, 2012
3:49 pm
Justin Upton has a 117 career OPS+ at age 24 and has never had an OPS+ below 100 in a season in which he’s played more than 43 games. I’m not saying the Braves should or shouldn’t trade for Upton. That depends on what it would take to get him. But I’d take him. If he is a headcase, there is certainly no clear indication that it has affected his performance so far.
BJ Upton has a career 104 OPS+ mostly as a centerfielder. He’s older than Justin, he’s 27, so unlike Justin, he’s not likely to get all the much better. But he’s had a solid career. If he’s a headcase, there is no clear indication it has kept him from being a solid player.
By comparison, Bourn has a 92 career OPS+ and is two years older than BJ Upton, though Bourn is one of the best defenders in the game while Upton is average in center, at best.
I think the Upton brothers get a bad rap. I wouldn’t mind the Braves having either or both, for the right price.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
course you always was a Prado hater
I’ve gone hot on the guy, though. Don’t mind admitting I was wrong about him.
But that don’t make him a corner bat, either.
jeffrey d
July 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
I’ll put you in context
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
I think when there was a perception of the Braves that they can’t make it deep in to the playoffs, that’s when attendance dropped.
Attendance dropped and continued to drop despite mutliple deep runs in the post season. It dropped every year, year over year, during that span I noted. When it was over, 1 out of 3 fans didn’t care about the winning or the team. The fans started coming back when they saw the players they liked. Cubbies have been packing the house and they haven’t won in over 100 years. So I’ll say it again, winning is not inherently a boon to attendance. Teams looking to make money have to also factor in the business value of players.
And you still haven’t acknowledged the rest of the point, that the Braves are not in a position which requires or compels them to even consider such a move…. much less is there any event in the 3 year horizon which would turn Uggla’s contract into a burden.
DAP
July 11th, 2012
3:51 pm
maybe the braves can pick up mike fontenot to hold down SS on the short term.
cricket
July 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
I’ll put you in context
i knew that was coming, George’s BFF
Efrim
July 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
I think Prado is a 3B. I get why some don’t care where he plays…..but I do.
I want a different sort of hitter in LF. I like thinking about Prado at 3rd base next year replacing Chipper. I believe Wren told Bowden this on radio. He’s replacing Chipper.
scoots, I get what you were saying now. I agree. Not a great defender at 2B. Love hima t 3rd base though, and his bat plays there, imo. Amazes me how bad 3rd is now across the league. And we pass on Shaffer…..sigh…….
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
a 3 year, 27 million dollar extension was a solid offer for him.
I’d bet he’d get more on the open market if he has another season like this one. So he might tend to disagree that it’s a good extension.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
count…”That’s kind of the Heyward story isn’t it? His parents would not even let him play football.”
Heyward’s parents are both pretty well off financially. There’s the difference. Baseball costs money to play, you need field space, equipment, etc. If anything, based on what I see with travel ball and showcases costing a small fortune, it’s going to be a long road to get that demographic back into the baseball picture. I agree though that NFL is losing it’s luster. NBA might be picking up steam again though, heading towards another superb decade filled with superstars.
In the Dominican Republic, they play baseball with sticks and rocks and end up better than our kids. Life always mimics Rocky IV.
Ward
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Hello everyone! My question is this? Why is everyone worried about the budget again? Wren says he has the money to get some one, and sign them, or he can trade for some one, and sign them. Why make a big deal now again? Why not let Wren do his work, and stop all this worries over the budget? I’m trying to do just that, and let Wren do what he says he can do.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
of course you think they get a bum rap Shaun, you believe in absolutely nothing but numbers.
Hillbilly
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
But that don’t make him a corner bat, either.
I’d still pay him to be one, IF…. you’re still getting (or return to getting) power numbers from 2nd base and catcher.
MFin04
July 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
One Prado and One Uggla. When Uggla is hot…like his hit streak last year…he was MASHING. Not to mention the 30 homers are always nice.
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
I want a different sort of hitter in LF
Second!
Of course, Wren will move Prado to third, fill CF maybe get a starting pitcher, sign some relief players then come spring training he’ll invite a bunch of minor league free agent signings to compete for the LF position, which Pastornicky will probably “win” given that he is an infielder with no power and that’s what the Braves look for in LF.
Ward
July 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
I read some post, and see all these figures in the budget. Why not just let Wren handle it him self?
Danga
July 11th, 2012
3:56 pm
Still don’t believe Ward is real.
Hillbilly
July 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
If it makes you feel better, you can call Uggla your 3rd baseman who’s playing an extreme lefty shift and Prado is your second baseman playing an extreme righty shift…simultaneously.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
because we want to aggravate you ward…..
TennesseePaul
July 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
I think the Upton brothers get a bad rap.
I generally hear good things about Justin. BJ on the other hand seems to get a lot of negative press.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
3:59 pm
I’d still pay him to be one, IF…. you’re still getting (or return to getting) power numbers from 2nd base and catcher.
I’m absolutely good with that. Just as I am this year.
That whole thread started as I was mulling over the guy’s marketplace value, pros and cons, and the like. I’ll probably end up accused of wanting to trade him for some AA scrub.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
3:59 pm
Justin has had a coupla small issues but nothing serious. He would be a good pickup if we could get him free……
Ward
July 11th, 2012
4:00 pm
nolie – Funny………Danga don’t care what you think. My point is Wren, will get us some one. I’m betting Greinke…….Wren knows his agent, and I think a deal could be worked out.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
4:00 pm
which Pastornicky will probably “win” given that he is an infielder with no power and that’s what the Braves look for in LF.
You’ve become so cynical.
Shaun
July 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
TennesseePaul, generally speaking winning is the overriding factor in whether a team’s attendance is strong or not. There are exceptions, like Wrigley and Fenway, post-1968. But for the most part attendance is strongly tied to winning. There are no doubt other factors as well, but winning is the major one.
The Braves may be in a position to consider an Uggla trade, if they have an opportunity to make a big splash with a big-time leftfielder or centerfielder or starting pitcher. Say they can work out a Greinke trade or Greinke comes to them and makes it clear he is interested, will give them a noticeable discount from his market value but still wants a significant contract. I can think of certain scenarios where it may be wise for the Braves to explore an Uggla trade, just like we can both think of scenarios where it won’t matter. I was throwing it out there because I think he’s the one player that ties the Braves hands to some degree or has the potential to on some level.
nolie
July 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
and besides we all know that you’d love to trade him for some AA scrub scoots
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
nolie,
By the way, did you see the post espousing the notion of a double Upton OF next year, LOL?
nolie
July 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
TennesseePaul, generally speaking winning is the overriding factor in whether a team’s attendance is strong or not…Shaun
except of course for the 7 year example just quoted that showed it had no effect at all.
that was 5 100 win seasons, tying the manager for second all time in 100 win seasons ya know
Ward
July 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
Also Simmons is suppsed to be out for a month, so I think Pasotr will play until then. Later you will see Wren, do some thing about adding a SS.
Shaun
July 11th, 2012
4:04 pm
of course you think they get a bum rap Shaun, you believe in absolutely nothing but numbers.
Actually I believe in nothing but performance. Numbers are just the best way there is to measure and get a good, objective, unbiased sense of players’ performances.
If I was concerned with nothing but numbers, I would just look at arbitrary numbers that many ogle over but don’t give us much insight in to actual performance. But I’m actually more concerned with performance than numbers.
ncscoots
July 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
I was throwing it out there
Listen, we got it, already. Your points are made, and the blog will take it under advisement.
Lemke's Knuckler
July 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
Efrim…”I want a different sort of hitter in LF.”
I want one guy that get on base with some speed, 2 guys that can hit .300 or better and not strikeout too much, 4 guys that can jack 25+ homers and drive in some runs and 1 guy that can hold his own with the bat and play some stellar defense. Don’t give a darn who plays where.
Ward
July 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
No way Uggla trade. He can hit the long ball.
Hillbilly
July 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
I’ll probably end up accused of wanting to trade him for some AA scrub.
Balderdash. When his agent gets a hold of my extreme shift theory, his value will never be higher(HVWNBH).