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Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,215 comments Add your comment
Jeff R
August 29th, 2012
8:29 am
The braves are playing good but we need more hitting
That’s a good point. Braves’ bats are still mostly quiet.
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
8:29 am
Padres have 12 players who have faced Tommy before…. including 2 pitchers. Their line against him is .283/.403/.550/.953.
Couch Tater
August 29th, 2012
8:31 am
not sure what jim riggleman was thinking we he jumped ship
Better than facing the sword at the other end of the plank.
Halbert
August 29th, 2012
8:32 am
Hearing Uggla talk after the game was not exactly comforting. He hit a long home run so now he says, “I’m going to try to be that player for the last 30 games.” *sigh* So that means more swinging for the fences every at bat, no matter the count. More strikeouts, popups…etc. Ok. Doesn’t he realize “trying to be that player” is a big part of his problem? Great start by Meds though. Man, we sure could have used him last year in september.
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
8:33 am
I would be lying if I said I enjoy west coast games…. so glad that we’re done with that stuff after tonight.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
8:33 am
That’s a good point. Braves’ bats are still mostly quiet.
Currently in a stretch against some of the best pitching in the league (LA, Washington, SF). The Padres have an ERA around 3.15 at PetCo.
Don’t worry…the Rockies, Mets, and Marlins are coming. Bats tend to heat up against those teams.
Lemke's Knuckler
August 29th, 2012
8:35 am
Since the Greg Maddux comparisons are already rolling in, I thought I’d take a look at pitch count and strike percentage.
Kris Medlen since becoming a starter – 13.1 pitches per inning, 70% strikes
Greg Maddux 1993 Cy Young Season – 12.7 pitches per inning, 65% strikes
I think DOB should put an asterisks by the names of all the people that were Kris Medlen doubters…just so we know that person has a limited baseball IQ
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
8:35 am
Yes, what Uggla should have said was “I want to apologize for hitting that home run. I know I should be trying to choke up and slap the ball around like I’m Juan Pierre. That’s what the Braves pay me to do, after all.”
CrαZy
August 29th, 2012
8:36 am
F whoever registered in the new format as CraZy… I hope you get hit by a bus!!
Lew
August 29th, 2012
8:37 am
tiger – No problem – I dfidn’t take it as anything other than an informative post.
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
8:38 am
brian – he could have at least apologized for not hitting it another few feet into the paint can…he hates charities (except his/hudsons/etc)
BravesFanInMaine
August 29th, 2012
8:38 am
I know alot of people on here including my self have beat up on uggla and saying hes horrible in all but you know what he shows up everyday and plays the game…. when you are going through a slump and not hitting at all that can have an affect on other aspects of your game but for uggla it hasnt, sure he has made errors but atleast everyday you know that he has a chance of turning it around….. I think he will get it going soon!
Jeff R
August 29th, 2012
8:39 am
Currently in a stretch against some of the best pitching in the league (LA, Washington, SF). The Padres have an ERA around 3.15 at PetCo.
Don’t worry…the Rockies, Mets, and Marlins are coming. Bats tend to heat up against those teams.
Good news.
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
8:41 am
nats have 4 with the cardinals this weekend so the good news is as long as we keep winning we will either pull away from them or close on the nats
Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year – september baseball is the best (IMAO)
Lew
August 29th, 2012
8:42 am
Why shouldn’t he “be that player”? That’s exactly what he is when he’s going good. Power hitter strike out a lot. Power hitters also drive in runs – which is pretty much what we need right now – we have plenty of high OBP Dudes, we need someone to drive them in instead of leaig them on the basepaths.
Uggla could go 1-4 with a HR every night the rest of the season and I woud imagine that if he did, the Braves would be scoring a lot of runs and winning a lot of games.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
8:44 am
The last time a Braves pitcher gave up no runs, allowed no walks and 5 or less hits, with 9 or more strikeouts, was…
Tim Hudson, May 2nd 2008 against Cincinnati
You have to go 10 years before that to find the next one…John Smoltz, Sept. 23rd 1998 against the Marlins (he only went five innings).
Lemke's Knuckler
August 29th, 2012
8:44 am
Halbert…”Hearing Uggla talk after the game was not exactly comforting. He hit a long home run so now he says, “I’m going to try to be that player for the last 30 games.” *sigh* So that means more swinging for the fences every at bat, no matter the count. More strikeouts, popups…etc. Ok. Doesn’t he realize “trying to be that player” is a big part of his problem?”
What he’s talking about is his hips and hands staying back on the ball. The reason he’s been scuffling is because his hips are flying open and he’s basically just dragging the bat through to just make contact. Last night and the night before, you saw his hips open up at the right time, which allows him to generate the bat speed he needs to hit the ball hard. That’s what he’s talking about being for the last 30 games.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
8:46 am
The only other pitcher for the Braves this year to strike out 9 and allow no walks in a game is Mike Minor, who’s actually done it twice.
Last time before that was Derek Lowe in 2010.
Lew
August 29th, 2012
8:50 am
Wonder why that last comment is awaiting moderation?
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
8:50 am
Medlen only faced 27 batters in 8 innings.
Only other Braves pitchers to pitch at least 8 and face 27 or less were Mike Minor vs. Philly in July, and Randall Delgado against Baltimore in June.
Before that, you go back to Tim Hudson doing it three times in 2010.
CB
August 29th, 2012
8:53 am
Enter your comments here
CB
August 29th, 2012
8:54 am
Ok, I have not had to register. What gives?
Jeff R
August 29th, 2012
8:55 am
Wonder why that last comment is awaiting moderation?
They want you to be more moderate, Lew.
Jeff R
August 29th, 2012
8:56 am
Neither did I. Not have to register, that is. Must be all my frequent blog miles have finally paid off.
CB
August 29th, 2012
8:58 am
Jeff R, we know you are VIP but why me?
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
8:59 am
Almost lost in last night’s performance…I LOVE the 2 pick-offs. Medlen may have the best move to first of any pitcher in the game. He needs to work some more with Hanson.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
9:00 am
Since his debut in 2009, Kris Medlen has picked off 1.8% of the baserunners he has allowed (6 pickoffs on 330 baserunners).
That’s the highest percentage for any right-handed pitcher with over 200 innings pitched in that span.
In fact, in the live ball era, only nine right-handed pitchers with over 200 career IP have a higher pickoff rate than Medlen.
Lew
August 29th, 2012
9:00 am
Jeff R – Maybe so – after all I am so radical – in my failure to be terminally negative.
I didn’t have to register, either.
Lew
August 29th, 2012
9:02 am
Maybe it awaits moderation because I referred to Medlen without mentioning Maddux.
CB
August 29th, 2012
9:04 am
Lew, new blog rule. He is now Maddox Medlen. Keep up with the program.
ncscoots
August 29th, 2012
9:04 am
I think DOB should put an asterisks by the names of all the people that were Kris Medlen doubters…just so we know that person has a limited baseball IQ
ncscoots*
Though I never doubted his ability to pitch. Just his ability to do it over 30+ starts in a season, and 200+ IP. And despite his totally unconscious performance for the past month, I think I’ll hold on to a tiny bit of skepticism yet
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:05 am
Medlen can’t really be this good…he’s way too short, and doesn’t throw 95mph. Everyone knows that you must be a big power pitcher to succeed…or even be respected…or even be noticed.
CB
August 29th, 2012
9:05 am
Dang, Maddux.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
9:07 am
Since June 15th, in 6 starts and 17 relief appearances, Kris Medlen has a 0.95 ERA in 66.2 IP.
CB
August 29th, 2012
9:09 am
I love it, scoots doing the back slide on Medlen.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
9:11 am
Uggla does have a .796 OPS over his last 20 games. .796 is higher than the total 2012 OPS of both Prado and Bourn.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
9:11 am
I know I’m supposed to distrust everything this shorty does…. And that, when he does succeed we all must join together and qualify the opponent as Major League in name only… And that, he shouldn’t ever really be given an opportunity because there’s always a taller person available who’s chance should never be stolen by the devil. But, I gotta say, Medlen is doing very well. And, I knew he would.
Awesome game last night.
ncscoots
August 29th, 2012
9:14 am
I love it, scoots doing the back slide on Medlen
I know people will think that; doesn’t bother me. My position on the guy is the same as it ever was, though.
The nuance might not be apparent some, I expect, LOL.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
9:15 am
.796 is higher than the total 2012 OPS of both Prado and Bourn
That’s really not fair to treat Prado that way. Bourn never has high OPS’s. He’s a career 91 OPS+… and that includes this, his single best season… prior to this year he was a career 88 OPS+ player…. so hand that man 20% of the payroll.
CrαZy
August 29th, 2012
9:17 am
Since this blog was written pre-format change I don’t think you have to register for it… you will in new blogs. Go to the AJC home page and on the top right you’ll see sign in register. Hope all of your names aren’t taken like mine was… My new name is (aka_CraZy)
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:18 am
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
#SFGiants lost cheating melky, #dodgers traded for the world. ye, SF leads by 3 1/2 games now. bochy doing nice job.
Medlen is outperforming what I thought he would do… he might regress to the mean, but that might not happen until next year… the kid is unstoppable right now.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
9:19 am
The Braves have a very easy remaining schedule, but it’s been true all along that, while not quite as weak, Washington plays a lot of losing teams down the stretch, too. It’s huge that they have lost four in a row against the teams with losing records. So at the same time as their win-loss record is decreasing, their remaining strength of schedule is increasing. 7 against STL, 3 against ATL, and 3 against LAD still to come.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
9:24 am
Over his last 20 starts, Medlen has gone 10-0 with a 2.82 ERA, averaged 6.1 innings per start, surrendered a .254/.290/.387 oppo-line and the team is 19-1.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
9:26 am
he might regress to the mean
What’s Medlen’s mean he is supposed to regress to? I don’t think he’ll keep pitching shutouts, but really, the guy hasn’t been around that long, so how does one know what his mean is other than projection and “potential upside;” two viewpoints that are nice guidelines, but by no means laws of the sport.
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
9:26 am
10paul – u have the stats in his loss? how many runs did we score for him?
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:26 am
Joe Mauer is on waivers….. should get him to replace BMac
Lew
August 29th, 2012
9:28 am
Crazy – Apparently we’re already registered.
Lew
August 29th, 2012
9:29 am
They told me that not only is Lew taken, but my email address is taken, too
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:30 am
You can’t just assume games will be easy, no matter the record. SD had an 8 game win streak prior to last night. Phillies have beaten Nats 5 of last 6. Many other examples.
Bottom feeders have positives going for them, unless they are a totally beaten down team that has given up. The have professional pride (hopefully), at least some major league talent, Young enthusiastic guys who have been given a chance to show what they can do, NO PRESSURE to win, although Shaun will tell you that pressure doesn’t affect big leaguers.
Contending teams have great pressure to perform.
And then there is just the nature of baseball. Bad teams can and do beat good teams on any given night. Any pitcher (even JJ, Lowe, etc.) can have a night where he is unhittable.
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:32 am
Of course, I’d rather have an “easy” schedule, than a “tough”one. I don’t want another Dodgers, Nats, Giants 10 game challenge again.
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:32 am
So, Lew, does that mean that I can use my current details to log into any blog on AJC? Gotta try that…
David O'Brien
August 29th, 2012
9:34 am
Seems a few folks here are bending themselves into pretzels trying to explain how they were wrong — but not really wrong, just sorta wrong, OK entirely wrong — about Medlen, and how the Nationals have lost five in a row (and, by the way, apparently have considerable disagreement among key management officials, which inadvertently went public….)
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:34 am
Ah crap, don’t have a password….. very very interesting
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:34 am
AJC must be wrong. There’s only 1 Lew.
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
9:38 am
DOB – you have a link to the managment disagreement story? I havent seen that yet
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:41 am
I don’t understand about “signing in”. I’m having no trouble postin, just using my regular name and e-mail address.
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
9:41 am
lew – it may have you already registered…try to login
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:43 am
Keeping Mwdlen in BP early was brilliant…intentional or not. We don’t have to worry about exceeding innings pitched, a la Strasburg.
DiamondbackMac
August 29th, 2012
9:45 am
Lew
Good morning.
I saw this quote from Mac Thomason yesterday and thought you might enjoy it.
“Philadelphia, known as “The City of Brotherly Love” ever since Benjamin Franklin invented sarcasm in 1767, is the largest city in Pennsylvania and a suburb of New York.”
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:46 am
I was able to make one… not that I need it for this blog.
I wonder how many online users AJC has, someone on another blog might’ve taken someone’s name on this one…
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
9:48 am
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
the underpublicized kris medlen has 2 amazing streaks going. 28 1/3 scoreless innings. 17 #braves wins in his last 17 starts.
He sure is underpublicized…
Murph
August 29th, 2012
9:51 am
What’s all this about registration?
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:52 am
undersized = underpublicized = underappreciated. This is changing, at least for Medlen.
CB
August 29th, 2012
9:53 am
scoots, I was just pulling your leg on Medlen.
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:55 am
Murph – That was my question, but then, I’m frequently clueless, especially about technology.
Murph
August 29th, 2012
9:55 am
So…. sometime in mid-September Fredi is going to have to start looking at the rotation and getting guys in the right order for playoff time.
Who gets the Wild Card game?
If it were me, I’d get everything set so that Medlen would be starting that game, with Maholm and Hudson pitching the last 2 games of the season (those might be must-have wins to even reach the playoffs).
Keep Hanson and Sheets far, far, far away from the mound during that last 3 or 4 days if at all possible.
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:56 am
Murph – That’s what I thought, but then, I am often clueless, especially about technology.
Trader Jack
August 29th, 2012
9:57 am
There continues to be a growing disdain between Davey Johnson and Mike Rizzo. Centers around Johnson’s laid back managerial style, and the perception that the team lacks fire and a sense of urgency. This could get to be very interesting.
Personally I love it
raleighbravefan
August 29th, 2012
9:58 am
Sorry about the “double post”. AI had trouble the first time, and thought it didn’t go through. I said I was clueless.
Random
August 29th, 2012
9:59 am
Jeff R (August 29th, 2012 6:56 am): “The Bravos need to take the rubber match in SD and even out their road trip.”
Oh?
How come?
Lew
August 29th, 2012
10:04 am
DBaqck – Ain’t that the truth.
Only Braves – I have no idea – I went to log in and it wouldn’t take my password, but sad my name and email were taken and that I looked familiar. Guess I did register – or have been usingm the same name and email for so long (8 seasons) that they just conceded that I knew who I was.
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 29th, 2012
10:07 am
Hmm, very interesting…. it let me create a log-in, same name and email I’ve been using already. They just haven’t sent me an email to verify it.
Arkansas Transplant
August 29th, 2012
10:09 am
Nice game from Medlen lastnight. We sure did need it.
monty
August 29th, 2012
10:09 am
monty
August 28th, 2012
10:07 am
Hot team vs. hot pitcher…somethings got to give.
DOB- “somethings gotta give..”
Glad I could be of assistance.
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
10:10 am
The Braves gained three games in the division standings in the last week. If it continues at that pace, the Braves will win the division by 11 games!
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
10:15 am
Tommy Hanson has a 1.42 ERA in three career starts at PetCo, and won all three.
count_schemula
August 29th, 2012
10:15 am
I did not think Meds had enough pitches to go through lineups like this and if he attacked the zone as hard as he has been I thought he would get hit harder. But, conversely, even people who wanted to see Meds in the rotation could not have predicted this level of success. I’m sure Yogi Berra has some kind of quote about hindsight and predicting the future and whatever that quote is, I agree with it. Regardless, it’s a big shot in the arm to have Hudson pitching tough, Meds pitching lights out and Minor seeming to have turned some mental corner.
Efrim
August 29th, 2012
10:15 am
Seems a few folks here are bending themselves into pretzels trying to explain how they were wrong — but not really wrong, just sorta wrong, OK entirely wrong — about Medlen, and how the Nationals have lost five in a row (and, by the way, apparently have considerable disagreement among key management officials, which inadvertently went public….)
DOB, I respect your opinion greatly and don’t take this the wrong way – I’m sorry, but I have to say this – you said the exact same thing about Mike Minor after his Zona start in April. Nearly the exact same statement. I’m not saying Kris Medlen isn’t legit or isn’t going to be a solid member of this rotation for years to come. He’s shown more than Minor has, for sure…
But I will say that it’s baseball, and things can turn on a dime, just like they did for Mike Minor for near every start after that Arizona performance. But you and some others here nailed folks who criticized Minor’s ceiling and the Braves for picking him 7th overall in 2009
Medlen is very good, but let’s wait for a little larger sample where the kid has to pitch190-210 innings through one full season, which he hasn’t done yet, before saying everyone was wrong. Just sayin….
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
10:17 am
Overall, Tommy Hanson has never lost to the Padres…4-0 with a 2.01 ERA.
George Stein
August 29th, 2012
10:18 am
I was really wrong about Medlen. His command has been excellent and that change up is just unfair right now. I’m happy to see him succeed after the surgery, though.
Efrim
August 29th, 2012
10:18 am
When was the last time Heyward didn’t reach base during a game?
monty
August 29th, 2012
10:19 am
Medlen is everything I thought he would be, with sugar on top. If there’s a way to go back to blogs 3 years ago I could show what I thought about him, I thought he had more upside than Tommy Hanson. I’m sure I was one of the few(if any) who thought that at the time. Not that I was demeaning TH just that I really liked the competitive spirit Meds had and his ability to throw stikes and command the plate. And I did say at that time he reminded me of Maddux, with the changeup and running that 2 seamer back across the inside corner against LHB.
Jeff R
August 29th, 2012
10:20 am
Jeff R, we know you are VIP but why me?
Don’t underestimate yourself, CB.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
10:20 am
When was the last time Heyward didn’t reach base during a game?
Last night.
Efrim
August 29th, 2012
10:21 am
Medlen has been great. I don;t think I’ve ever seen this sort of thing happen where he was in the pen for almost the entire season, moved into the rotation and went on this sort of streak. It’s awesome to see and I hope he can keep anything near this level of performance going through the end of the season.
Efrim
August 29th, 2012
10:22 am
Last night.
When was the last time Freeman didn’t reach base? Little League? I know you know it…
Brian from SC
August 29th, 2012
10:22 am
When was the last time Heyward didn’t reach base during a game?
Before last night, the last time he started and didn’t reach base was Aug. 7th at Philly. He had a couple of 0-1’s coming off the bench in that span.
McFann :Ô: :Ô: :ô:
August 29th, 2012
10:24 am
Good game last night! That Medlen…boy oh boy. I know cabravesfan was very pleased…
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
10:25 am
u have the stats in his loss? how many runs did we score for him?
There was only one loss, and he left down by 1 in a 2-1 game against he Pirates. The Braves scored in the eighth to tie it, but then Saito blew it in the 10th..
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
10:26 am
When was the last time Freeman didn’t reach base?
August 18th.
DiamondbackMac
August 29th, 2012
10:29 am
Lew
Ain’t that the truth.
It certainly seems to be one of the least friendly cities I’ve seen during the few times I’ve visited.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
10:30 am
Heyward was on a 17 start on-base streak which ended last night. If you include the pinch-hit games, then it isn’t so long (4 games). But I don’t include those.
Freeman is currently on a 10 game streak.
Lew
August 29th, 2012
10:32 am
DBack – Sometime I’ll share a few Philly horror stories with you that I don’t want to go into on the blog.
TennesseePaul
August 29th, 2012
10:34 am
So I just want to stay focused and take it a start at a time, and whatever other cliché I can say
You know, if he were taller, he’d have the ability to remember more clichés
Murph
August 29th, 2012
10:35 am
Do people’s internet score go up if they were early Medlen supporters or something? Do they get some kind of award, maybe their names on a plaque at the end of the season?
There has to be something, some kind of recognition, with the way everyone on here is reminding everyone else about how they “may have been the only one” who thought Medlen would be great.
The rest of us bloggers aren’t on the “Medlen Supporters” voting committee. You can stop trying to earn interweb points or push your way towards a higher spot on the blog Wall of Fame. We all believe you.
nolie
August 29th, 2012
10:35 am
testing
Lew
August 29th, 2012
10:36 am
Thought they had all of the cliches posted on the clubhouse wall along with the MLB rules against gambling.
Efrim
August 29th, 2012
10:36 am
As a starter in his career, Kris Medlen: 24 starts, 143 IP, 134 hits, 52 ER, 15 HR allowed, 32 BB’s, 119 K’s, 7.5 K/9, 3.27 ERA.
jeffrey d
August 29th, 2012
10:36 am
Did you pass?
tiger297
August 29th, 2012
10:37 am
I’ve got some folks that sit with me in the outfield (older calm fans)that will tell you awful stories from games & road trips in philly as well
literally my wife does not like to attend phillies games in atlanta b/c of their fans