Huddy, Braves try to avert sweep; Melky irks masses

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Shaun

July 19th, 2012
5:43 pm

Jeff R, I’m with you. I wish there were still 4-man rotations. I don’t see any reason why there shouldn’t be. But that’s not any pitcher’s fault.

Here’s the quote from Roenicke, which makes sense: “We kind of got him out of his routine. The All-Star break didn’t help because he also didn’t have a bullpen in between that start (Friday). So, to try to get him back on track for the second half, and we know it’s important for him to pitch well for us, we bumped him a start. We tried to do something with Zack that I think Zack thought was kind of neat and we thought would work. And it didn’t work.”

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn later that there was an injury concern. But I’m not quite as suspicious as you. I think plenty of teams would have done the same with their best pitcher in a similar situation. Would you honestly be all that concerned if the exact same thing happened to someone like Tim Hudson or Tommy Hanson and Fredi explained thing just like Roenicke did there?

brian

July 19th, 2012
5:44 pm

DOB – who do you think would be the best fit with the Braves as far as starting pitcher obtained through a trade?

Greinke would give them their #1 but the cost in propects will be high and at $20+ million per year he does not fit our team unless Liberty increases the payroll.

Dempster would be a big help down the stretch with his veteran presence and huge year though I would not try to extend him more than 3 years. I do think

Shields would be a great fit – under club control past this year and would likely thrive out of Tampa. McFann would also be happy because we would likely have to include Bethancourt in a trade.

Liriano is the wild card. Huge addition if he keeps pitching like he has. Liriano has the stuff to be an ace but does he have it mentally/attitude wise to be an ace. A Liriano/Spahn trade would work very well for the Bravos.

If Boston became sellers which they won’t of course, I still think Lester would be a perfect addition. A lefty with #1 type stuff. The Braves continue to look hard for Glavine and Lester is Glavinesque/Glavinelite. Bard would also be a buy low candidate to help the bullpen. Both of them should thrive with a change in scenery

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
5:45 pm

Woody, did you see yesterday’s game? Not just a leg.

Shaun

July 19th, 2012
5:45 pm

jeffrey d, who would you rather have: Adam Wainright or Aaron Harang?

Venice Jim

July 19th, 2012
5:47 pm

From the Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore:

Friday, the Nationals will begin perhaps their most crucial series since baseball returned in 2005. The Atlanta Braves, after beating the Giants on Thursday afternoon, will come to Nationals Park trailing them in the National League East by 3 ½ games. By the end of a four-game series, which includes a Saturday doubleheader, the Nationals could either hold a dominant lead or stand in second place.

Woody Woodward

July 19th, 2012
5:48 pm

One game, OMG. I’m not making a case for either guy based on their last start, but fredi seems to think that minor is the better choice for the long term. Interesting how it will play out. Is Jair’s next start make or break? Does minor get a pass for a poor outing based on yesterday?

Jeff R

July 19th, 2012
5:49 pm

Would you honestly be all that concerned if the exact same thing happened to someone like Tim Hudson or Tommy Hanson and Fredi explained thing just like Roenicke did there?

I still would wonder, yes.

Perhaps Roenicke was attempting to do as he says. Hard to contradict him absent any other evidence.

Lew

July 19th, 2012
5:53 pm

Sorry, but if a pitcher can’t handle warming up, throwing four pitches, coming back the next day and warming up again then pt\itching two iings and come back on four days rest does not deserve to be considered elite and certainly is not worth $20 million.

How many top flight pitchers have made three starts in a LCS or WS and ;ived to not only tell about it, but win CY YOung awards and Championship Series MVP’s?

iTiSi

July 19th, 2012
5:53 pm

OK I will try to make this real simple. In the grand scheme of things, when all is said and done, and you don’t go to the playoffs, does it really matter if you lost 2 or 3 games in a 3 game series? It’s all totally irrelevant at that point. If the Braves continue in the same vein as they are in now, it’s not going to matter one iota that they won the game today. (and I predict they will, they won’t wait until the last game this year)

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
5:54 pm

Make or Break? I think that is true for both of them Woody. Can Minor keep it going, can Jair bounce back? But as of this moment in time, what have you done for me lately world, Minor is ahead.

Murph

July 19th, 2012
5:58 pm

OK I will try to make this real simple. In the grand scheme of things, when all is said and done, and you don’t go to the playoffs, does it really matter if you lost 2 or 3 games in a 3 game series? It’s all totally irrelevant at that point.

That’s a big, resounding “Yes Murph, i am retarded!”. thanks for answering my question.

You do realize that playoff spots are determined by standings, which are determined by team’s win/loss records…… right?

Woody Woodward

July 19th, 2012
5:58 pm

I hear you, OMG. I’ll still be interested in who is the casualty if the braves trade for a starter.

Shaun

July 19th, 2012
5:59 pm

Lew, all I can tell you is that pitchers who’ve performed on par with Grienke in the recent past and what Grienke is likely to do over the next few seasons have been worth at least around $20M a season, in terms of free agent dollars in recent years.

Skipping a start in early July doesn’t really change that, unless we get some sort of evidence that there was a significant injury concern. That’s regardless of what your emotions want to tell you about whether pitchers are sissies these days. I’m looking for objective truth and try not to let emotions cloud my judgements to that degree. I realize that’s harder for others.

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
6:02 pm

Very True Woody, but the $64 question is “If” they make a trade? In the end it may be more about Sheets than Minor or Jair.

iTiSi

July 19th, 2012
6:02 pm

*Murph* you missed the most important 7 words in my post, (repeat) “and you don’t go to the playoffs”. This is all based on the premise the Braves don’t make the playoffs this year, and I’m betting the house they don’t. Speed-reading and comprehension will get you everytime!

Shaun

July 19th, 2012
6:05 pm

I still would wonder, yes.

Wondering and claiming that skipping a start is a definite red flag are different things. It’s not all that uncommon for a team’s top pitchers to skip starts here and there throughout a season, especially if something breaks them from their routine.

But so many have decided that they don’t want the Braves to have Greinke under any circumstances, they’ll make whatever claims they need to make to make him seem as bad a pitcher as they possibly can. Again, there are plenty of valid reasons to be leery of a Greinke trade for the Braves. I just don’t get why it’s come down to twisting things and making him seem like a pitcher that he isn’t. Seems to be some sort of attempt to stick it to the saber folks or some way to reassure yourself and other fans if a trade for him isn’t made. But there is no need to be disingenuous. There are plenty of actually valid reasons that could be thrown out.

Venice Jim

July 19th, 2012
6:07 pm

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Cubs summoning a pitcher from Triple A to meet them in St. Louis in case Dempster is traded by game time tomorrow.

Venice Jim

July 19th, 2012
6:07 pm

At the fair, I presume…

Lew

July 19th, 2012
6:08 pm

Shaun – You really aren’t getting the point, though it’s hardly surprising.

Real Ace pitchers go out and pitch. They don’t use four pitches, two innings and warming up as an excuse (don’t even want to hear about the start on four days rest). If it were too much for him to start the day after he threw only four pitches, then he should have told his manager. If his manager thought it was going to have negative effects a week later and potentially screw up any trade possibility, he shouldn’t have put him in the next day.

Grienke is neither a rookie, a young pitcher just building up to a 200 IP mark and he’s not coming off of injury. Pitchers in the playoffs go three games in a seven game series all the time – even doing it in the LCS AND the WS without any lasting ill effects or their arms falling off.

The fact that it HAS caused an issue with Grienke is somewhat disconcerting to those who might have to give a heavy package of players in exchange for him and then signing him to a $100 million or more contract. The fact you can’t see this is -as I said – not surpirsing, becaue you’ve never understood the human side of sports, preferring instead to rely completly on formula and theory.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
6:08 pm

This year I’d rather have neither

Woody Woodward

July 19th, 2012
6:09 pm

What “objective truth” explains cliff lees performance this year? Or Johan Santana’s underwhelming performance since joining the mets? Or RA Dickey’s phenomenal season?

Twenty million a lotta money. A LOTTA money.

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
6:14 pm

You can not measure the human element.

Tony Waller

July 19th, 2012
6:15 pm

“Irk the Masses”? What was the paid attendance? 20k? Melky looked motivated and the talk about “We won’t forget” by Chipper didn’t stop him for performing. And don’t forget ATL took it to the G-Men back in April. I think SF was very motivated in this series. Stop the whining and play ball.

Lew

July 19th, 2012
6:16 pm

Yes, most people realize you can’t measure the human element – others like Shaun don’t believe it even exists.

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
6:19 pm

Then way does it seem like when guys are in contract years they play better? And after they get the big contract their numbers drop off, sometimes worse then they were before their contract year, i.e. guess who? Human element.

Lew

July 19th, 2012
6:20 pm

We didn’t play the Giants in April – in fact we hadn’t played them this year until Tuesday night. Whatever motivated them for this series had nothing to do with taking it to them this year.

Lew

July 19th, 2012
6:22 pm

And i don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to piss off 20,000 people.

Del

July 19th, 2012
6:26 pm

What in the name of Holy is it going to take to get our baseball?? “manager” to bench our “AS” 2nd baseman?? Why cann’t either JS or FW ORDER their coach to bench him? After all it is Uggla that is short circuiting a ton of our potential rallies. Just do not ubderstand the position he has taken. I wonder what DUs teamates think of the situation?

Venice Jim

July 19th, 2012
6:27 pm

Paul Sullivan ‏@PWSullivan
Cubs acquire relieve Justin Germano from Boston for cash; Jairo Asencio designated for assignment. Coleman scratched from Iowa start.

O.M.G.

July 19th, 2012
6:34 pm

VJ if this is the lead up to the Dempster trade, it does not sound like they expect to get a big league ready starting pitcher in return. What do you think?

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
6:35 pm

Why in the world would Theo not pull the trigger in a Dempster trade in the next 18 hours? No reason for Dempster to make that start. His value will never be higher and you can risk injury for a guy that’s a 2 month rental. I’d expect Dempster to be traded before his scheduled start tomorrow. Sounds like it won’t be an American League team. So it’ll be down to Braves, Nationals and Dodgers for his services.

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
6:37 pm

And I’d guess the Cardinals could get involved as well.

Dumbfounded again......

July 19th, 2012
6:40 pm

Bat Masterson

July 19th, 2012
6:41 pm

I’d expect Dempster to be traded before his scheduled start tomorrow.

Start him Saturday and bump Sheets to Sunday in JJ’s spot.

Venice Jim

July 19th, 2012
6:42 pm

Well, they can’t count on a pitcher being ready to start when they might need him…

Dumbfounded again......

July 19th, 2012
6:42 pm

Ihttp://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/19555511/gif-robinson-cano-leaves-former-teammate-melky-cabrera-hangingts not only us…..

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
6:42 pm

High A Lynchburg SS Nick Ahmed up to .277/.350/.435 on the year with 41 XBH’s in around 400 plate appearances(93 games). 28 stolen bases in 37 attempts. .317/.383/.529 in his last 26 games.

Trade bait. :)

robert feuer

July 19th, 2012
6:42 pm

I watch him play every day, and Melky is one of the most exuberant players in baseball. He’s not mean, but does show his emotions, something sadly lacking in most baseball players

Lew

July 19th, 2012
6:43 pm

Yeah, the best place for Uggla to get out of his slump is on the bench while Pastornicky does no better on the field.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
6:43 pm

VJ if this is the lead up to the Dempster trade, it does not sound like they expect to get a big league ready starting pitcher in return. What do you think?

Sounds like we can swap Jurrjens

Dumbfounded again......

July 19th, 2012
6:43 pm

abeeewright

July 19th, 2012
6:45 pm

We were talking on the last blog about Braves runs scored per game …

Here’s the break-down

00 – XXXXXXXX – 8
01 – XXXXXXX – 7
02 – XXXXXXXXXXXXX – 13
03 – XXXXXXXX – 8
04 – XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX – 19
05 – XXXXXXX – 7
06 – XXXXX – 5
07 – XXXXXXXX – 8
08 – XXX – 3
09 – XXXX – 4
10 – XXXXX – 5
11 – X – 1
12 – – 0
13 – X – 1
14 – X – 1
15 – X – 1

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
6:45 pm

Start him Saturday and bump Sheets to Sunday in JJ’s spot.

If he gets bombed on Sunday, I could see them optioning him to Triple-A once a starter is acquired.

Of course, only if Mike Minor is still a member of the organization. ;)

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
6:49 pm

Wouldn’t it be something if the Nationals traded for Ryan Dempster? Detwiler to the pen for Sunday’s game and he squares off against us? Oh boy.

abeeewright

July 19th, 2012
6:49 pm

“Caminiti died at 41 years old and Lima at 37…”

And both of ‘em dissed Murph and the 4 year old.

Mmmmm ….

flange1

July 19th, 2012
6:52 pm

MLB tonight getting ready to do a report on if Melky went to far in ATL

Coming up next!

ChattTownBrian

July 19th, 2012
6:53 pm

Nats get Dempster, Wren counters with Vargas.

ChattTownBrian

July 19th, 2012
6:56 pm

Nah, Wren will get a good starter for Chipper. I believe that. Chipper is very special to this organization and deserves to be on a team really going for it his last time.

One-Eyed Mac

July 19th, 2012
6:56 pm

The Braves have no right to complain about Melky showing them up if they refuse to do anything about it.

ACE

July 19th, 2012
6:57 pm

Fredi get some rest. You have four games of cap tipping and running him out there coming up.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
6:59 pm

abeeewright

July 19th, 2012
7:02 pm

If ever there was a team that should go “all in” at this point, it’s the Nationals.

Trader Jack

July 19th, 2012
7:04 pm

My guess is that Dempster ends up with the Dodgers. Billingsley and Lily on the shelf and Eovaldi just isn’t cutting it

Bat Masterson

July 19th, 2012
7:05 pm

MLB tonight getting ready to do a report on if Melky went to far in ATL

I don’t get the MLB network, so what’s the verdict?

flange1

July 19th, 2012
7:11 pm

It was lame.

They minimized Melkys actions. And said he was a good guy…

Waste of time….

nolie

July 19th, 2012
7:13 pm

By the end of a four-game series, which includes a Saturday doubleheader, the Nationals could either hold a dominant lead or stand in second place

they are obviously very scared of us

BravesFanSince80's

July 19th, 2012
7:15 pm

oh but Del, haven’t you read Shaun’s discourse on how Dan Uggla is a perfectly solid and serviceable major league 2B in his time in Atlanta and hasn’t hurt our offense at all? Guys like Shaun ruin baseball for me. I don’t need sabermetrics (or however it’s spelled) to know the guy strikes out waaaaaaay too much for a middle infielder and particularly so with RISP…Douche-bag…

George

July 19th, 2012
7:17 pm

Nice win today. DAVID and FREDDY. HUDDY and KIMBREL, They got it done. After the last two nights I was thinking we might never win again. GOOD GRIEF we stunk it up.

Bat Masterson

July 19th, 2012
7:19 pm

It was lame.

They minimized Melkys actions. And said he was a good guy…

Thanks, flange1

He was pushing the line, I guess, but he did not actually pull out his johnson, so yeah, he’s a good guy.

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
7:23 pm

Royals super prospect, CF Bubba Starling homers to left field off of our 1st rounder Lucas Sims in the 1st inning of the Appy League game – Burlington up on Danville 1-0 after the 1st.

Efrim

July 19th, 2012
7:27 pm

How much do recent draftees have in the tank? Pitched full seasons for their high school or college, and then are coming to professional ball for the summer – especially with the signing deadline pushed to July 17th or whatever, a full month earlier. Probably a lot tougher for pitchers, but I thought I read that Alex Wood had thrown over 100 innings for Georgia.

George

July 19th, 2012
7:30 pm

Jeff R 5:31
This isn’t nearly the heavily-lift of starting pitchers a generation or more ago. Four-man rotations (except in the dog days), and pitchers were expected to complete games (a category that’s practically meaningless these days).
**************************
Those were the days, sure wish they would come back.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
7:30 pm

Anybody see this video of Arizona’s first round draft pick hardly budging during a home plate collision?

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
7:31 pm

George

July 19th, 2012
7:33 pm

nolie

July 19th, 2012
7:46 pm

I read that Alex Wood had thrown over 100 innings for Georgia….Efrim

and only fell down 18 times….

Jeff R

July 19th, 2012
8:00 pm

But so many have decided that they don’t want the Braves to have Greinke under any circumstances, they’ll make whatever claims they need to make to make him seem as bad a pitcher as they possibly can.

Responding to Shaun’s 6:05 pm. post.

Gee, Shaun, you putting me in that category, without anything to point to that I’ve written to suggest I have an ulterior motive?

In fact, until I read that Greinke was taking a 10-day hiatus, I had pushed the idea of Wren obtaining him on the condition that 1) Wren not overcompensate for Greinke; 2) that Greinke sign longer term with the Braves. I might accept Greinke as a rental if the price was small.

But I expressed a legitimate concern about the reason for Greinke’s time off. Not really unusual or out-of-bounds to question the reason, or attempt to get at an underlying motive. Kinda sorta due-diligence if I were in the Braves’ front office. I would hope Wren and company raised the same question.

b

July 19th, 2012
8:06 pm

What do the Braves have against Constanza? He’s leading the IL in hitting at .321 and has a 21 game hitting streak. They have treated him like a piece of crap not keeping him on the roster. Don’t tell me he doesn’t deserve to be on this 25 man squad.

Bozo ( The Clown )

July 19th, 2012
8:06 pm

agree with many statements already made, these braves players and managers are trying to rip me off, there is only ONE bozo and that is me !! Quit acting like vagenes and hit that dairy tipper you losers… gosh I knew this wasn’t a baseball town but we would have to be the only team in the WHOLE league to NOT plunk that dairy pusher right in his red testies.. total woosies if you ask this clown.. QUIT trying to join my fellow companions, WE ARENT HIRING

Jeff R

July 19th, 2012
8:07 pm

George, I’m with you.

nolie

July 19th, 2012
8:16 pm

He doesn’t deserve to be on the 25 man roster. AAAA player

Bat Masterson

July 19th, 2012
8:18 pm

I love track and field events

http://youtu.be/tMgmYutL9W0

keylargo

July 19th, 2012
8:21 pm

I have to admit I’ve grouped R A Dickey in with Oliver Miller to show the Mets incompetence in signing free agents. That particular combo worked like a charm in 2010 and 2011 with Dickey pitching under .500 ball and Oliver Miller even worse.

It’s just plain impossible to predict what he (Dickey and his Knuckleball) will do in the future and I don’t think the Mets can be grouped as high as the Braves in any way.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
8:21 pm

Well shoot…I thought we were going to start discussing track. Then I saw the video.

It’s pretty funny though…she’s the most perky and whimsical I’ve ever seen anyone at the starting line

Mark

July 19th, 2012
8:22 pm

b

I agree with you on Constanza. I have been saying platoon Diaz and Constanza in left and move Prado to second. Others disagree and they may be right but I’d like to see a guy hitting 320 for the AAA club get a chance to do well of fail. I can;t see how he can do any worse than Uggla has been doing. Plus it may show the minor leaguers that if they do well they will get a shot.

Been out of town all week working. How did Uggla do for us this series with the Giants anyway?

Bozo ( The Clown )

July 19th, 2012
8:24 pm

i know i called for a sweep before this series, but 2/3 aint bad.. go ahead sheep, follow the leader
ill just take my red balls and exceptional juggling skills and go root for my favorite player, bryce the nl east stud harpor later azznuggets

True Falcon Fan

July 19th, 2012
8:27 pm

I stand to be corrected they averted the sweet 16 losing strike this time…….But Frick & Frack are destine for failure this season!!!!!!

True Falcon Fan

July 19th, 2012
8:28 pm

Go Falcons!!!!

Hey ZERO u over here?????

U COWARD!!!!!

Bat Masterson

July 19th, 2012
8:30 pm

Ha, jeffrey, she’s great and she ran her ass off did win

:lol:

Coach (2012 Fredi's Beisbol Fandango)

July 19th, 2012
8:31 pm

Francisco Liriano’s last two starts: 14 innings, 4 Walks, 25 strike outs, 5 earned runs and an ERA of 3.21

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
8:33 pm

What just happened?

keylargo

July 19th, 2012
8:37 pm

I’d take her with a smile like that.

I’d take her when she can run like that.

I’m inelidgeible for both so -
the person who gets both is really going to have something special

David O'Brien

July 19th, 2012
8:39 pm

David O'Brien

July 19th, 2012
8:42 pm

brian: Personally I think Dempster is probably the best fit, given their need the rest of this season and what it would likely cost to get him, plus the reasonable chance he’d re-sign.

ChattTownBrian

July 19th, 2012
8:42 pm

Time comes to a still it seems like when you’re waiting on something. I’m waiting until those few days leading up to the trade deadline. And it’s only the 19th.

David O'Brien

July 19th, 2012
8:44 pm

DOB, right. ERA and WHIP often don’t accurately reflect how good a pitcher is or isn’t.

Defense and just sheer randomness of where a batted ball might go affects hits allowed. Hits allowed affects earned runs allowed. Hits allowed affects WHIP. Earned runs allowed affects ERA. So a pitcher can do everything right about as often as any other pitcher yet is still subject to whether his defense can convert batted balls into outs as well as other pitchers’ and the randomness of whether batted balls happen to end up on the right spot. How much more simply can I break it down? I think even the most un-sabermetrically-minded scout would get this concept. The only folks who don’t seem to get this concept or pretend not to get it are those desperate to stick it to those saber folks. Guess what? Whether you want to see the saber folks fall on their face or not, the concept is real. I don’t care what you think of sabermetrics. This is a baseball concept and a pretty elementary one, at that. It doesn’t matter if you love, hate or indifferent towards sabermetrics. It’s about simple logic. — Shaun

Like I said, we’re just glad you’re here to explain baseball and fancy stats to us rubes.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
8:44 pm

Nice recap, DOB. Next time you need some kind of novelty. Like a sombrero or a cigar :)

nolie

July 19th, 2012
8:46 pm

great stuff David, gonna be a video star with that unshaven look, ;)

Jeff R

July 19th, 2012
8:47 pm

Liked the video report, DOB. Thanks.

George

July 19th, 2012
8:47 pm

b

July 19th, 2012
8:06 pm
What do the Braves have against Constanza? He’s leading the IL in hitting at .321 and has a 21 game hitting streak. They have treated him like a piece of crap not keeping him on the roster. Don’t tell me he doesn’t deserve to be on this 25 man squad
*********************************************
Last year during the colapse I heard he and FREDI were not getting along , that they had words. Think it was because FREDI would not play him after he recoverd from bad ankle.

unbelievable

July 19th, 2012
8:47 pm

Melky is a douche

unbelievable

July 19th, 2012
8:47 pm

Melky is a douche

unbelievable

July 19th, 2012
8:49 pm

b, he doesnt deserve it.

jeffrey d

July 19th, 2012
8:49 pm

Where’d you hear that George?

nolie

July 19th, 2012
8:50 pm

Fredi wouldn’t play him cause he stank, just like when he came up this year, he stunk again./ where’d ya hear that stuff, a poster here or some talk radio show?

ChattTownBrian

July 19th, 2012
8:50 pm

Alright, enough with the MelkDud. Enough. He’s an attention seeking wh**e. Leave it at that.

Bama Brave

July 19th, 2012
8:51 pm

I Bet Dempster Goes to Dodgers Or Boston.

nolie

July 19th, 2012
8:52 pm

Liriano keeping it up still

Jeff R

July 19th, 2012
8:53 pm

Shaun, Shaun…? Oh, bedtime was at eight, huh? ;)

ChattTownBrian

July 19th, 2012
8:53 pm

i almost get the Constanza talk. It seems like whenever he’s been brought up the team takes off. Was it because of his talents? Most times, no. But maybe he’s a lucky charm.

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