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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,940 comments Add your comment
DAP
August 31st, 2012
12:36 pm
theonlybravesfan Yes, you are correct. My mistake
Maddux came in 94, Braves had already gone to a few WS…
your point was good, it was kindof a stupid thing for me to point out, sorry. i do think its forgotten sometimes that maddux wasnt there yet when the braves became the class of the NL.
Arkansas Transplant
August 31st, 2012
12:36 pm
false. the braves were great by the time maddux got there.
That’s correct.. But the amazing thing, most thought we needed more offense over signing Maddux that year. Most wanted Bonds cause we had plenty of pitching options.. Glavine, Smoltz, Avery.. etc… etc. But just so turned out, that top flight pitcher made everyone else that much better.
VaBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:37 pm
I’m betting Wren will resign Reed Johnson ASAP. Knowing we have 2 open starting spots in the OF we’ll need a really good 4th OFer. I’ll say there is a 75% chance we’ll have a platoon in LF. Plus not knowing how CF will shake out Reed might be inline for some playing time there as well.
My #1 need would be bringing in a RH power bat for LF. Someone who hits LHP well and can bat 5th to break up Heyward,Freeman,McCann.
I’d then target great defensive CFers considering I might have spent a good amount of resources or prospects on adding a big bat for LF. I would want a defensive 1st CF, and Reed Johnson would see a decent amount of playing time in Center against LHP.
Resign David Ross 100%. Not knowing how McCann will do we need to keep the best backup in baseball.
I would roll with in-house options in the rotation. We’d have Hudson, Hanson, Minor, Medlen, Maholm, Delgado, Teheran as our options starting out with Beachy and possibly Gilmartin ready to contribute later in the season.
I would explore trades for EOF and Hanson. My bench would be Ross, Francisco, Pastor, Janish, Johnson.
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:38 pm
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:21 pm
and then Hanson however you want to classify him
Garbage? A worse than #5? A AAA pitcher? (sarcasm)
He’s been bad for over a year , but he has to be a 5, I guess
*********************************************************
I think TOMMY might be better if he got rid of that hesitation in his delivery. Am I the only one who sees it? No one else mentions it.
CaptainMudd___CountMudd
August 31st, 2012
12:38 pm
Testing….1,2,3…..that’s a positive….galactic conversational tooling
monty
August 31st, 2012
12:40 pm
I don’t think Franciso will hit LHP well at all, at least not to start, maybe something he could grow into, kinda like JHEY has had to do.
Question is, would it be worth the growing pains? And could he get there eventually? I have no feelings whether he could or not, but he does look like a sitting duck against them right now.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
12:41 pm
Regarding TODD CUNNINGHAM in CF replacing BOURN………..well, there IS NO replacing BOURN! After that caveat, TODD’s doing well average-wise with minimal power good speed and defense. And unlike SCHAFER, no hint of impropriety. I don’t thing CUNNINGHAM seasoned enough to handle the jump, and the comparative pressures he would face.
Of course, I said that about SIMMONS too, and he’s worked out pretty well. Certainly enough to make us stop pining for YUNEL’s frosted tips, and SEA-BASS unlike the REV. Ya gotta’ believe TYLER.
At this level, the talent is all pretty close, it’s what’s in your head that counts. SIMMONS always was sayin’ coming up, “I listen to the coaches and adapt my game.” Boy, if that doesn’t say it all. And the kid’s a quick study.
MFin04
August 31st, 2012
12:41 pm
“ESPN has picked up the Braves-Nationals game on Sept. 16 at Turner Field, which will now start at 8:05 p.m.”
Awesome. We will get to hear about the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, Tim Tebow…
And Strasburg for Cy Young, and Harper for ROY.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
12:42 pm
AT:
You’re welcome.
Arkansas Transplant
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
My bench would be Ross, Francisco, Pastor, Janish, Johnson.
Not bad, not bad at tall. I’d do the same. Except I’d platoon Francisco with Sanchez at 3rd and just keep Prado in LF. I too would look for a very good defensive CFer.
But I could make those moves alone and still have somewhere around 20 to 25 million left to spend.. wonder where I could spend it… Oh yeah, Greinke!
Count___Mudd
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
Prerequiste you say?
Yessir….prior to blog registration you must first identify the symbols affixed to a flying craft parked at a military base in the dessert.
Ok…but one more thing and, yes, I mean it; if things get more detailed/difficult…I’m gone {forever}.
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
MFin04
August 31st, 2012
12:41 pm
You are so right, I don’t like when BRAVES are on ESPN.
VaBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
Keith Law has said that Cunningham we’ll have a hard time even being a MLB backup.
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
I think TOMMY might be better if he got rid of that hesitation in his delivery. Am I the only one who sees it? No one else mentions it.
Everyone can see it I’m sure… I don’t think he can get rid of it…. he always seemed to have a little hitch in his delivery, this is kinda major. One of the tools from the Tool Race could steal a base on Tommy Hanson! He’s basically throwing a dart to the plate…. an all arm throw. Doesn’t help velocity or the health of his arm.
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:46 pm
Count___Mudd
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
It should stop name stealing.
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:48 pm
I still would like to know why 5:30 start time Sunday afternoon.
Arkansas Transplant
August 31st, 2012
12:48 pm
richbrave, I just wonder if Cummingham’s defense would transition over if he was to make the jump. I do like that he does’t KO much and can take a walk. Plus he’s got a little speed helps too.
Capt.Mudd
August 31st, 2012
12:48 pm
@richbrave….what about my guy up @Danville; Trenton the 3B…..I know, only 3HR. You think he’s got a chance?
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:49 pm
your point was good
I came up with a way to make it work… Maddux came to the Braves and got them over the hump and won a World Series. A top pitcher from outside our organization can get us to be division winners again, and to the World Series. After that, we have a craphsoot to win it.
But I could make those moves alone and still have somewhere around 20 to 25 million left to spend.. wonder where I could spend it… Oh yeah, Greinke!
I have an example roster with Greinke on it, making 16 mil, and the Braves have about 12-19 mil (payroll of 93-100 mil) to spend for a LF, 2 veteran relievers if they don’t want to use Avilan and Gearrin/Cmart, and of course leaving cash for a mid-summer trade. So technically, we could probably give Greinke even more than 16mil ( though I wouldn’t want to go past 20mil with him, and I doubt he would go that high)
Shaun
August 31st, 2012
12:49 pm
Shaun, All I am saying is, Bourn didn’t have a breakout year until he was 27 years old. At age 24 (which Cunningham will be next year) : Bourn had the following stats:
229.avg.
10 doubles4
4 triples
5 hrs
29 rbi
37 walks
111 strikeouts
41 steals/11 caught
.288 OBP
.588 OBS.
Hardly, the stats that you would see getting a 15-20 million contract in 2013
Just saw this from yesterday, ccrider. Those stats aren’t accurate for Bourn.
Bourn hit .277/.348/.378 in 133 major league plate appearances at age 24. I would say it’s fairly unlikely Cunningham will be in the majors. I suppose he has an outside shot. Cunningham seems like a fringe outfielder to me. The odds of him becoming anything like Michael Bourn are slim-to-none.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
12:51 pm
VaBravesFan:
I’m in your corner re: REED JOHNSON and DAVID ROSS. ASAP if you please, MR. WREN. You.ve got a heaping pile of work ahead HUDSON, BOURN, DURBIN, arb guys, et. al.
And let me say that LHRP LUIS AVILAN has looked pretty good for the ‘pen this season. But I’m not sold on his full body of work at this point especially in the moinor’s. I want more proof, and to see how things go the third and subsequent times through the league.
Capt.Mudd
August 31st, 2012
12:51 pm
@George…..thanks for the explanation
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:52 pm
Outta here for a bit. W
VaBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:53 pm
Cunningham isn’t great at anything. He’d barely be a average defensive CFer, he has above average speed, but no power. You could probably compare him to Pastornicky a little except that he’s an outfielder.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
12:54 pm
Capt.Mudd
August 31st, 2012
12:48 pm
“…..@richbrave….what about my guy up @Danville; Trenton the 3B…..I know, only 3HR. You think he’s got a chance?….”
Gotta’ run to the dr’s for my good and faithful spouse. She’s on the fritz.
Off hand he’s [MOSES] got promise. I’ll keep you posted.
George_George
August 31st, 2012
12:55 pm
Sorry about that. Outta here for a bit. We are getting into must win games part of the season. We should have won more games early in season.
Carroll Rogers
August 31st, 2012
12:55 pm
new blog is up! CR
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2012/08/31/spoiler-alert-here-come-halladay-lee-and-hamels/
jeffrey d
August 31st, 2012
12:55 pm
How is George_George any harder to steal?
VaBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:55 pm
Wonder if the Braves were the team that claimed Jon Lester.
jeffrey d
August 31st, 2012
12:56 pm
Of course…
MVPrado14
August 31st, 2012
12:56 pm
“I still would like to know why 5:30 start time Sunday afternoon.”
It was Chipper’s request. Gives his body a little more time to recover from Saturday’s game.
Shaun
August 31st, 2012
1:01 pm
Arkansas Transplant, if the Braves think there is a decent chance Cunningham is their centerfielder next, why has he played 17 of his 115 games in rightfield in Double-A? Why bother putting him in rightfield at all in Double-A if he can easily handle centerfield, i.e., is a legit major league centerfielder? Also, he doesn’t walk all that much.
David O'Brien
August 31st, 2012
1:18 pm
He could well be off, after all he has worked 6 games in a row, that could be a record for him. — ace
Actually it was seven games in a row, but who’s counting? I mean, two of them were on a weekend when you and your pal George were off anyway (so those don’t count in the ace/george alternate universe). Plus, since I realize neither of you would be familiar with air travel, the day before those seven included a 5-hour flight to San Francisco, and the day after those seven a 4-1/2 hour flight from San Diego. And again, since I know you and George don’t fly, you have to get to airports a little earlier since 9/11.
Oh, and I wrote an off-day story on Braves going into September — the longer version appears on this blog page — after getting home last night, since it was bit cramped in coach seats to get it written on the plane. But I’m sure my day yesterday, up at 5 a.m. in San Diego and done writing at 7 p.m. in Atlanta, was nothing to the rigorous demands of the jobs you two have, right? Anyway, enjoy the game tonight and your weekend off, fellas. Football and some brews? Some of us working stiffs have got to work Sunday.
But I Wanna Bash Greinke
August 31st, 2012
2:16 pm
BB/9 are important to look at and none of these point to an ERA of 3.80 – he’s better than that. So please, enough with the Greinke bashing….Efrim
but 3.80 is what he gives up and what his team has had to beat to win.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
5:04 pm
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 31st, 2012
12:44 pm
“…….I think TOMMY might be better if he got rid of that hesitation in his delivery. Am I the only one who sees it? No one else mentions it…….”
He did visably cut back on the hesitation. That’s part of the changes they worked on with him in ST, but he reverted half-way thru a game this spring, fairly early if i recollect. The rest of the game and his next two starts began to slide down hill and it’s been that way since. Now he’s back to his old ways and it just doesn’t work. May as well trade him with that delivery of his….that is, if you can get anything for him.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
5:19 pm
DOB:
re: ACE/George:
I know you have to answer those ignorant souls, or it would gall you no end. But really, if they aren’t cognizant of the realities of life I would let them wallow in their ignorance. You can lead a horse to water, but……. just sayin’. These guys don’t appear to deal in realities, and don’t want to learn to, evidently.
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
5:21 pm
Enter your comments here
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
5:22 pm
98
richbrave
August 31st, 2012
5:22 pm
89
Zachary Fenchel
December 13th, 2012
4:12 am
@roman I sometimes look the defects of other peers but I do not advertise them.