Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,926 comments Add your comment
CrαZy
July 27th, 2012
11:43 am
So if the payroll is $92 and remains flat that leaves $26m for 19 players at $1.36m average. How does that work?
Well a few of those 19 will be making much less than $1.36m, but it would be tight unless were saying good bye to Huddy?
CB
July 27th, 2012
11:43 am
Guys, do you think we should have an interest for Corey Hart and Greinke together?
tony austin
July 27th, 2012
11:44 am
Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat
#Cubs pitching vs #Pirates will be TBD on Monday, Dempster Tuesday and T Wood Wednesday. Germano could get Mon start
Well I guess that takes care of Garza going anywhere.
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
11:44 am
I’d do cartwheels if we could get Shields for Delgado+.
I’d punch my boss in the face with excitement…..
What? Did I really say that?
tony austin
July 27th, 2012
11:45 am
Sorry, pasted wrong info, try again:
Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat
#Cubs Matt Garza not expected to pitch until late next week. MRI was clean. Says he’s feeling better
George
July 27th, 2012
11:46 am
Bat Masterson
July 27th, 2012
11:40 am
Bat, have u seen nolie on here? I am starting to worry about him, he posts so often , but not the past two days and he was so sick earllyer this year.
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
11:46 am
#Cubs Matt Garza not expected to pitch until late next week. MRI was clean. Says he’s feeling better
Officially off of the trade market, I’d think. Unless the Dodgers really want him.
The A Bomb
July 27th, 2012
11:48 am
The Uggla at $13 million looks mighty similar to Lowe at $15 million. Thanks Frank.
usnavyvolfaninva
July 27th, 2012
11:48 am
Sounds like we’re going to bite the bullet for this season and hope Tehran materializes into a legitimate SP (not a criticism); I’m actually okay with that, even if it means they don’t make the playoffs (which they still have a chance of doing)
Lew
July 27th, 2012
11:49 am
OnlyBraves – Actually, I’d throw much more of the blame on Hanson’s inconsistency and Jrrjens outright suckitude on the rotation issues. Kids will be kids and Delgado and Minor are still on the upward learning curve.
It may be that this just isn’t the year to go all in and give up those pieces you’ve been waiting to devfelop and are on the cusp of being where you want them to be. Honestly, if their youth was an issue, they should have gone out and gotten replacements before now.
I’m all in favor of going however far we can go now with what changes we can make without hamstringing either our budget or our future and making bigger changes this winter since we’ll have to then even IF we spend all our stack on one pitcher now.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
11:50 am
Minor and Gilmartin though, I mean these two are going to hold down spots in this rotation for the next decade…
Minor and Gilmartin are probably out there beside Delgado, but no one is interested, or at least, not more so than Delgado.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
11:50 am
Did the Phillies GM just proclaim this series a statement series?
usnavyvolfaninva
July 27th, 2012
11:51 am
Let’s be fair to Wren about Uggla. When he was signed, did ANYONE REALLY THINK that Uggla would be struggling as mightily as he has this year?
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
11:52 am
CrαZy 11:38 am, excellent use of exclamation points.
Steve from OH
July 27th, 2012
11:53 am
“That’s not the position that we’re in. We think it’s a bit of a unique year for us, but we’re not going to go out and do something that impacts us a great deal in the future…. Most of the opportunities [available players] are short-term opportunities.”
But he was also ready to give up Randall Delgado for Ryan Dempster. Does. Not. Compute.
UNCBrave
July 27th, 2012
11:54 am
WREN needs to apologize to Chipper for the Braves not making the playoffs in his final year for not acquiring Greinke
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
11:55 am
I do agree with you that Hanson has been incosistent, I could make an argument that Huddy has been slumping a bit too, and JJ, well… it’s due to him that both Minor and Delgado were in the rotation.
I do think that we still need to trade for a pitcher, Greinke might be that guy.
I can see your side Lew… I don’t totally agree with it, but I can understand and respect it..
CB
July 27th, 2012
11:56 am
UNCBrave, why? They quit paying him?
Lew
July 27th, 2012
11:56 am
Steve – I’m thinking that their may well have been more to that deal than straight up Delgado for Dempster.
Bravesfaninnc
July 27th, 2012
11:57 am
@UNCBrave don’t lose hope. If we don’t get Greinke maybe just maybe Wren is going after a bigger name starting pitcher.
Steve from OH
July 27th, 2012
11:57 am
I’m thinking that their may well have been more to that deal than straight up Delgado for Dempster.
I’m not.
Steve from OH
July 27th, 2012
11:58 am
Ef, do you work at work? Like, at all?
Lew
July 27th, 2012
11:59 am
Wow – A disagreement on the blog. Imagine that.
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:00 pm
But he was also ready to give up Randall Delgado for Ryan Dempster. Does. Not. Compute.
Agree… must be trying to slip under the radar for someone. Sneak in and nab them.
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
12:00 pm
<Minor and Gilmartin are probably out there beside Delgado, but no one is interested, or at least, not more so than Delgado.
I’d like to think that. But part of me believes these two are Wren’s guys. I don’t know. Maybe I’m off on that one. I try to convince myself the poor drafts aren’t Wren’s fault. Starting to doubt myself there though.
CrαZy
July 27th, 2012
12:00 pm
do you work at work? Like, at all?
Work? Dam-it I knew I was suposed to be doing something!
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:01 pm
I’d do cartwheels if we could get Shields for Delgado+
I as well. To watch Greinke go else where and be available with no draft penalty…. Sign him in the off-season and go into next year with Hudson, Shields, Greinke, Minor, Teheran… trade Hanson for 22 year old Ted Williams…. Just flawless. It could happen.
BravesFanInMaine
July 27th, 2012
12:01 pm
Wren head must be ready to explode with all this trade talk….. GO BRAVES BEAT PHILLY
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
12:02 pm
Ef, do you work at work? Like, at all?
Multi-tasking, Steve.
It comes in waves. I’m not on this thing January – April/May, which is usually a more busy period for us. Works out well.
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:04 pm
Steve – I’m thinking that their may well have been more to that deal than straight up Delgado for Dempster.
Yeah, there was…. rumored to be another minor leaguer going from the Braves to the Cubs…
Why do all these pitchers have to go down with injuries? Just making the market tougher for the Braves…
monty
July 27th, 2012
12:04 pm
Efrim-”But the Mets could be back in business next year with a new outfield and new bullpen”
Is that all?
CrαZy
July 27th, 2012
12:06 pm
The Marlins seek a Mark Teixeira-like package for Josh Johnson, Jon Heyman reported yesterday.
You know it’s not a good when they now refer to packages in trades as a Teixeira-like package. :
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:06 pm
TenPaul: That’d be awesome as well, just who do we get to upgrade the rotation? Deep questions for Frank Wren…
monty
July 27th, 2012
12:07 pm
Count me in on trading TH for Ted Williams.
The Bravery
July 27th, 2012
12:08 pm
Garza isnt pitching next start bc his wife is going to have a baby, not bc he is “off the table”
monty
July 27th, 2012
12:08 pm
DIdn’t the 3 guys we traded to get Tex all make the All-Star team this year?
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:10 pm
Ah, Rumors. The lifeblood of those who really don’t know.
The A Bomb
July 27th, 2012
12:11 pm
Minor and Gilmartin — 2 non-Georgians. Congratulations Frank — there is a United States outside Georgia.
Georgian after Georgian. Not saying these guys aren’t good — but holy cow — get out there and get players who won’t sign for the hometown discount.
As Maxwell Smart would say, “The ol’ hometown hero or has-been trick. That’s the 100th time this century I’ve fallen for that trick.”
Think Olt would have possibly projected to be an upgrade over Lipka — especially with Chipper on the downside?
Obviously if we drafted Ahmed we had to have seen Olt. Unbelievable.
The Bravery
July 27th, 2012
12:11 pm
I forget that Lew is all knowing
monty
July 27th, 2012
12:11 pm
I did see some video highlights of Greinke yesterday ESPN where he was striking guys out with his fastball, where guys were just left frozen and he had that look walking off the mound of “yeh, I’m a bad dude.”Not sure when the video was shot but it was impressive.
abeeewright
July 27th, 2012
12:12 pm
Hope Greinke gets traded to someone else and Braves make a run at him in the off season. Takes away the loss of a draft pick and the loss of major league ready prospects.
Braves really need one to two starters who are better than what they’ve gt at the back of the rotation (Jurrjens and Minor) to improve the team this year.
There should be seven or eightoptions for the small number of teams trying to get them.
Trevor Bauer
July 27th, 2012
12:13 pm
Yo Braves fans!!!!! Me and a friend made a pretty sweet rap, give it a listen dudes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0XUs1kob68&feature=share
ozzie
July 27th, 2012
12:13 pm
Many of us were concerned (and posted about) about Uggla’s one dimensional profile. 30HRs/yr (yes) but a .254 BA and sub par defense.
Lots of solo shots and few if any years where he drove in more than100 RBIs. sniffed a batting title or a MVP nod.
At 13.5mm (more or less) on a 85-90mm payroll team you sadly need those credentials to make that kind of an investment. The Braves are not the Yankees. They need their big bets to pan out 95% of the time.
No one predicted repeated runs at the mendoza line but his stats outside of HRs were not great and this from a team that was playing with little to no pressure to do anything down in Miami.
Wren assumed Uggla would be play even better in ATL not the same or worse. He likely assumed the RBIs would go up bc more Braves would be on base when he hit those 30 hrs. That has not been the case at all.
Add in these insane slumps and you see a guy who they cannot afford and who is not wired between the ears to carry the offense.
I think Uggla is playing so poor bc he cannot let go of the idea that he is the offensive pack mule. He must be the guy that carries the team and hits lots of game winning shots. Couple that pressure with all the body building which reduces flexibility and bat speed and you have a guy who is not making adjustments and pressing every day.
He would do much better IMHO on a team where he was a complementary slugger but he was told and it was clear he was not THE guy to carry the offense.
That isnt ATL and wont be especially after Chipper leaves. I see Uggla applying even more pressure in 2013 w/o Chipper.
Anyway back to pitching. I agree with Lew. I am not sure this is the year to go all in. The payroll is set at 87mm so I am not sure where the 90-95 million numbers are coming from in the media. We know they will drift a bit over the budget 80s into the low 90s but each year they try to drift back down in the off season.
If they get Greinke at 20-21mm it may mean good by Mac. It will certainly mean no Bourn unless they can trade Uggla as a salary dump.
With Beachy out until mid July and JJ released this fall Wren may need another arm in FA. Unless Sheets is lightening in a bottle he may need another arm in a month.
So I would not flush young guys figuring it out on this particular team even in Chipper’s swan song year.
I have stated chasing Justin Upton with his stock down and a team friendly deal is the chess move you make now if you can. Prado will be at 3B or 2B if they trade Uggla. You need a LF under control with lots of upside. Justin is that guy.
While the owner is saying Justin probably wont be traded until the offseason he is just trying to repair the damage he did by talking trash about Justin back in May. He is trying to boost his trade value by feigning scarcity.
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:14 pm
Of course the Braves suck, have never drafted a decent player, can’t develop top prospects, yet here we are wanting to trade for the one player who will get us to the WS.
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:15 pm
No, I’m not all knowing jackass. But I don’t use rumor as the basis for what I do know.
cabravesfan
July 27th, 2012
12:17 pm
Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal
Number of teams predicted this would happen. RT @davandyck: Garza MRI shows fluid, not expected to pitch until after trade deadline. #Cubs
monty
July 27th, 2012
12:18 pm
TennPaul- “Just flawless”
I like that as a nickname or moniker for one of our players, we have a Polished and a Signable, we could add Flawless, but who would we ascribe it to? Hummm….how bout either Kimbrell or Simmons?
DAP
July 27th, 2012
12:18 pm
10paul The Braves model in the 90s resulted in the Braves signing the best available starting pitcher to the largest contract a starting pitcher had signed at the time.
by the time that happened, they had been to back to back world series and won 192 games in 2 seasons. the foundation was laid before maddux showed up, i bleieve.
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:18 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
Sources say the #Marlins are asking for each team’s top 2 or 3 prospects in every trade scenario involving Josh Johnson.
Don’t think Johnson is coming here…
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:21 pm
or anywhere for that matter.
DAP
July 27th, 2012
12:27 pm
10paul settling on only trading for say… Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth… is not going to put this team in the playoffs.
you believe no SP = no playoffs. i dont believe that. i think the braves have a decent shot as they stand right now, without doing anything. incremental improvements increase the chance, even if they are small. and, i would contend that as much trouble as our starters have going deep, and and weak as our bench is, those improvement might be more than incremental, if they were made.
Frankie
July 27th, 2012
12:31 pm
“It comes in waves. I’m not on this thing January – April/May, which is usually a more busy period for us. Works out well.”
Know that feeling, I’m looking at end of trade deadline to semi-retire from the blog which will delight many regular bloggers probably.
Get Scott Hairston or Kotsay as I have early predicted and I will be a happy man. To go along with my early May prediction of getting Dempster which although hasn’t happen, was right there with the ideology. Would be a pretty good season by Frankie standards.
Now if we don’t get Greinke and we sign the AWESOME Kyle Lohse in the offseason, I will be even more unbearable.
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
12:32 pm
you believe no SP = no playoffs. i dont believe that.
I think the Cardinals are grabbing one of the two wild card spots. Washington, Cincy, San Fran for the divisions. LAD, Pittsburgh are the two teams we need to beat out for a one-game playoff. I think we can get there as currently constructed. I do not believe we have a shot at the division without the addition of another starter.
Frankie
July 27th, 2012
12:34 pm
Cards are definitely grabbing a playoff spot with the Reds, which ever way it pans out WC or division.
Scary team.
Reds just go about their biz without hardly fanfare outside of Cinncinnati. That’s a solid club as well.
DAP
July 27th, 2012
12:39 pm
efrim I do not believe we have a shot at the division without the addition of another starter.
i think thats probably right.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:42 pm
But I don’t use rumor as the basis for what I do know.
Interesting, so how do you know how much Greinke would cost in a trade?
keylargo
July 27th, 2012
12:44 pm
Steve – I’m thinking that their may well have been more to that deal than straight up Delgado for Dempster. LEW
I agree 100% with that. Wren has never made a trade that was criticized from the minute it was announced that I know of and I think Dempster stopped any talk of the details when he balked. His approval would be the first obstacle to overcome. I would guess 2, 3 or 4 other players in addition to the primary two would have been in the final account.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:44 pm
you believe no SP = no playoffs. i dont believe that.
I do believe that. The Dodgers are working to improve their team. The Cards are solid. The Braves are marching right down the same path they did last year, with an even weaker rotation heading into it. I don’t see this club making even the one game play-off if all they do is acquire a bench bat and/or reliever.
tony austin
July 27th, 2012
12:45 pm
Even if the Braves get an ace, esp with that Jekyll and Hyde offense, I don’t think they’ll catch the Nats. Honestly I really don’t think anyone is going to catch them.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:45 pm
Get Scott Hairston or Kotsay…
Man, I didn’t even realize Kotsay was still playing.
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:46 pm
Speculation – not rumor. All I;ve said is that whatever package that gets him is more than what he’s worth for a rental – never mentioned any particular player or group players in any deal – others are doing that and I’ve reacted to their statements. Big difference from what you’re trying to say.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:47 pm
Honestly I really don’t think anyone is going to catch them.
“Anyone”? So you think Nats will be the WS winner this year?
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:48 pm
Speculation – not rumor
Speculation based on what? Is it unfounded? I.e., no foundation? If there is a foundation, what is it?
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
12:51 pm
I don’t see this club making even the one game play-off if all they do is acquire a bench bat and/or reliever.
One caveat, if Evan Gattis is called up the team is a shoe-in for WS victor.
Memphis
July 27th, 2012
12:51 pm
I believe either Texas or the Angels will win the World Series
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
12:52 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
sources: #phillies not planning to trade cliff lee. envision their big 3 back together in ‘13.
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:52 pm
First of all, if you actually went back and looked at the entire conversation instead of acting like a muck raking reporter looking for cheap headlines, you;d see that my objection to Grienke is that I don’t see him as a number one pitcher or one who’d make the difference that we need to win big this year and that I believe Delgado – who has been mentioned in almost all converations on any trade for a better pitcher is too much to pay for what others have suggested will put us over the dege and guarantees us a run deep into the playoffs.
Don’t have to rely on rumor when you don’t agree with the proposed trades to begin with.
tony austin
July 27th, 2012
12:54 pm
10Paul – Sorry, I meant I don’t think any team in the NL will catch them. WS winner? Probably not.
I may get mocked at saying this, but one team that concerns me is PHI. They are getting heatlhy, playing good ball, and have shown that the ability to be a second half team. As of today they are only 1/2 game behind the Marlins (3-7 last 10 games) and 3 behind the Mets (2-8 last 10 games).
Efrim
July 27th, 2012
12:55 pm
So, Reds 2011 1st round draft pick RHP Robert Stephenson has been hitting the upper 90’s with his fastball in Pioneer League games. He was selected one pick ahead of Sean Gilmartin(#28 overall) in the 2011 draft. Apparently, we were planning on taking him but the Reds selected him the pick before us.
Sigh….
Lew
July 27th, 2012
12:55 pm
What I know is that I’m not all that confident that Grienke is as good as most think and that Delgado will be better than many feel he will. Not seeing where Im relying on rumor there.
Memphis
July 27th, 2012
12:59 pm
So another rumor has the Cubs considering adding Bryan Lahair or Alfonso Soriano with Dempster to Dodgers….
Memphis
July 27th, 2012
1:01 pm
The Dodgers have also talked to the Twins about Willingham and Justin Morneau…….Damn. Dodgers are gonna be the Yankees of the NL
Threadkiller
July 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
Lew, I agree..Delgado/Teheran for Grirnke or Dempster is way too much for a rental..Either of those pitchers will not make much of a difference the second half.
Juan
July 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
Tony:
I may get mocked at saying this, but one team that concerns me is PHI. They are getting heatlhy, playing good ball
Tony did you saw the three games that the Phillis play agains the Brew crew…..If not, let me tell you….in the three games the PHI there was losing at the end of the games, the Brew Crew pen blew the three game. In the first game Mil was winning 6-3 in the second 6-1 in the top of the 8th….This din’t happen agains te Braves bull Pen.
All of this was agains the”Big 3″ pitcher(Halladay,Lee,Wordey)
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
1:03 pm
Another rumor says that Greinke will be traded…
And yet another rumor says that with other pitchers not being traded because of various reasons, the market to land Greinke gets tougher…
Frankie
July 27th, 2012
1:04 pm
Kotsay the man 10 Paul.
Out in in SD with his hot wife.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
1:04 pm
Not seeing where Im relying on rumor there.
All I;ve said is that whatever package that gets him is more than what he’s worth
How does one know this is true? Is a package of baseballs not worth it? Is Biff not worth it? Where are you gathering parameters of any package for Greinke except through rumors? And more importantly, if you don’t even bother with rumors, why are you even conversing about a Greinke trade?
optimist
July 27th, 2012
1:04 pm
Juan, agreed, if Philly sweeps this weekend, they are right back in it IMHO. And it seems like this team often lays an egg after off days, so tonight is going to be interesting…
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
1:06 pm
Dodgers are gonna be the Yankees of the NL
Yeah, now that they have stable ownership, that club is going to dominate the markets. Really bums me out. Here’s to hoping they dump a ton of money into stupid contracts crippling every effort they make along the way.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
1:07 pm
And it seems like this team often lays an egg after off days
The team is 7-3 on games after off days.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
Correction, make that 8-3 on games after days off.
Frankie
July 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
Save some money and pick up Javy Vazquez and Billy Wagner. Fly out Tony Robbins to influence these guys in playing second half and pay him a contingency. Pretty easy really.
Juan
July 27th, 2012
1:10 pm
W ae 12-2 on Friday……GO BRAVES
DAP
July 27th, 2012
1:11 pm
i think the braves are good enough to win a wild card play in game as constituted. not saying they will, but they could. i think there need to be improvements, im just not convinced a SP is the only thing that will get it done. there are other ways to score more, and surrender fewer.
optimist
July 27th, 2012
1:13 pm
OK, great, I stand corrected… 8-3 and 12-2… maybe we will go to the game tonight then!
unbelievable
July 27th, 2012
1:13 pm
Juan, agreed, if Philly sweeps this weekend, they are right back in it IMHO.-optimist
No chance. They are sitting at 9 games below .500 They would need to go 45-18 the rest of the way to get to 90 wins. They are playing above .700 ball the rest of the way.
George
July 27th, 2012
1:14 pm
I have been out of here about one hour, still no trade or word on nolie. Hope he is ok and FRANK WREN does not let CHIPPER and me down.
Bat Masterson
July 27th, 2012
1:15 pm
I may get mocked at saying this, but one team that concerns me is PHI. They are getting heatlhy, playing good ball, and have shown that the ability to be a second half team. _ tony austin
That may be, but even so 11% of the second half is all ready on the books and the Phillies are 9.5 games and six teams behind in the wild card standings.
Trader Jack
July 27th, 2012
1:15 pm
TennPaul
With Stan Kasten on board, I don’t see the Dodgers making too many blunders
unbelievable
July 27th, 2012
1:16 pm
They are NOT playing above .700
Sorry, fixed that
One-Eyed Mac
July 27th, 2012
1:16 pm
i wonder if we’re at the point now where acquiring a dependable middle reliever would be the best option. That would allow Medlen to move to the rotation.
TheOnlyBravesFan
July 27th, 2012
1:18 pm
Here’s to hoping they dump a ton of money into stupid contracts crippling every effort they make along the way.
They have Stan Kasten… seems like a shrewd guy, might keep Ned Colletti in check.
TennesseePaul
July 27th, 2012
1:22 pm
With Stan Kasten on board, I don’t see the Dodgers making too many blunders
I know. Time to get all Tonya Harding…
unbelievable
July 27th, 2012
1:26 pm
i wonder if we’re at the point now where acquiring a dependable middle reliever would be the best option.
Cmart should be moved to the middle reliever role. We need a RH’d setup guy that would allow Fredi to play some better matchups (he may not know how). Then Medlen could be bumped to the rotation. One way or another, JJ shouldnt get another start.
cabravesfan
July 27th, 2012
1:27 pm
Atlanta Braves @Braves
Tonight’s starter Ben Sheets was a member of the 2000 USA Olympic team and tossed a three-hit shutout against Cuba to win the Gold Medal.
Jeff R
July 27th, 2012
1:28 pm
Hope Greinke gets traded to someone else and Braves make a run at him in the off season. Takes away the loss of a draft pick and the loss of major league ready prospects.
Downside risk for the Braves: Greinke signs with whoever he’s traded to.
unbelievable
July 27th, 2012
1:30 pm
And the Braves miss out on the playoffs. Im tired of playing for next season. Its time to win now esp. with Chipper and Bourn possibly gone next season.
optimist
July 27th, 2012
1:31 pm
Phillies are 9.5 games and six teams behind in the wild card standings.
Three of those teams are just speed bumps if the Phils get hot (Arizona, Mets, Marlins). Sweep this weekend and the distance is probably 6.5 depending on Cards @ Chi and Dodgers @ Giants, with more than 2 months to make up the ground. And, there are 6 more vs. the Braves and 3 vs. the Cards.
Good news though is that they also have 12 more against Washington.
George
July 27th, 2012
1:31 pm
They have dropped baseball from Olympics I believe, but have they kept softball?
Jeff R
July 27th, 2012
1:31 pm
That may be, but even so 11% of the second half is all ready on the books and the Phillies are 9.5 games and six teams behind in the wild card standings.
This is true, and the odds against the Phils making a run are pretty good. But how other teams ahead of the Phils are performing isn’t necessarily a constant. So, sure, the Phils would need others ahead of them to stumble, but it’s not an impossible scenario.