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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
915 comments Add your comment
bruce
September 28th, 2012
1:34 pm
fabulous lead dr. o’brien
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
1:36 pm
Thanks, DOB!!! Enjoy the night!
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
1:37 pm
US has won first 3 holes of the afternoon…
Brian from SC
September 28th, 2012
1:41 pm
Great
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
1:45 pm
Tiger has gained a few pounds, you know…
Tiger? I remember seeing Tiger and Duval back when they were fighting it out for number one in the world. I was a little surprised by how lean they both were in person. I haven’t noticed Duval in a while but I seem to recall he’s sorta fat.
Miami Dave
September 28th, 2012
1:45 pm
Thanks for sharing DOB. We are really going to miss him in the years to come.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
1:46 pm
Thanks DOB
Weaseal
September 28th, 2012
1:49 pm
Were going to have a great October Braves fans!!!
TennesseePaul
September 28th, 2012
1:49 pm
Thanks for the work DOB.
GO BRAVES!
GO CHIPPER!!
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
1:49 pm
Mark Bowman @mlbbowman
Tonight’s pregame ceremony to honor Chipper will air live on both http://MLB.com and http://braves.com at 7pm ET
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
Tim Hudson on Kris Medlen and wild card play-in game: “He would be my choice.” #braves
Craig
September 28th, 2012
1:51 pm
Enter your comments
Wonderful, professional journalistic piece of writing, DOB, this is why you are considered one of the best MLB beat writers out there!!
Craig
September 28th, 2012
1:51 pm
Enter your comments
Wonderful, professional journalistic piece of writing, DOB, this is why you are considered one of the best MLB beat writers out there!!
Jaime
September 28th, 2012
1:55 pm
Great post! You really captured the essence of Chipper and why people have followed him for his entire career. I stumbled across the Braves on TBS as a 10 year old and have been a fan ever since. It will be odd not seeing Chipper take the field next year.
Jaime
September 28th, 2012
1:55 pm
Great post! You really captured the essence of Chipper and why people have followed him for his entire career. I stumbled across the Braves on TBS as a 10 year old and have been a fan ever since. It will be odd not seeing Chipper take the field next year.
bruce
September 28th, 2012
1:58 pm
Carroll’s interview with Chipper is great and well demonstrates Dave’s point about Chipper being a fab interview. I could read answers to those type of questions for hours…
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
2:04 pm
Thanks much, DOB.
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
2:04 pm
Mike (San Diego)
So in the “boring” league it looks like St. Louis is going to Atlanta for the wild card game. I’m very interested to see who Matheny uses as his starter. If it was up to you, who would YOU throw out there?
Jayson Stark
Looks like they’re lining it up to have Lohse pitch that game. He’s been their best, most consistent and most dependable starter all year. So I think he’s earned that. But boy, I’d sure be tempted to run Carpenter out there. He seems to enjoy those winner-take-all games, right?
aFan
September 28th, 2012
2:04 pm
I was just wondering If anyone knew what time the Wild Card game on Oct 5 will be.
Thakns
Felix Millan
September 28th, 2012
2:05 pm
Maybe your best, most heart- felt work of the season, DOB. It’s going to be a misty- eyed kind of day. And you got it started. Thanks.And Thanks to Hoss. I know I’ll miss him.
SteveinFXBG
September 28th, 2012
2:05 pm
Great work DOB! Thank you!
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
2:07 pm
First time ever, Tiger wins the first hole of a Ryder Cup Match on a birdie with his own ball…
Phil/Keegan win first 3 holes
Felix Millan
September 28th, 2012
2:10 pm
thanks VJ.
Ken Stallings
September 28th, 2012
2:11 pm
I think all of us will miss him. Some more fully than others already appreciate the difference he brings. Again, for me, the single most impressive fact is Chipper did all this without using PED’s. Of all he’s done in his career, I respect him the most for that.
Murph
September 28th, 2012
2:13 pm
I haven’t been all that sad about Chipper leaving… until now. The closer it gets, the harder a time I’m having realizing that this is it for him. He’s down to a handful of games left and then… gone.
I’m glad my kids got to see him play. The 4 year old especially took to Chipper, and has even started swinging a bat from both sides of the plate to be like him.
DS1
September 28th, 2012
2:17 pm
Great read DOB. Thanks. Hoss will be greatly missed by many fans and sportswriters too!
Bo Graves!!
Ghost of Chipper Jones
September 28th, 2012
2:21 pm
Great read DOB
BTBUS
September 28th, 2012
2:23 pm
aFan, read the article.
Ghost of Chipper Jones
September 28th, 2012
2:23 pm
Things are getting close. DOB’s beginnng the writer’s exit stratagy
ncscoots
September 28th, 2012
2:25 pm
“I was talking to Freddie [Freeman] about it and I was like, ‘You don’t swing harder. You swing easier because the easier you swing, the quicker your swing is going to be. The harder you swing, the later you’re going to be…”
I was talking to someone the other day, trying to explain this. Mainly in the context of Kimbrel. There’s a physiological reaction to seeing the ball come at you even faster than normal, and part of that reaction is to swing harder, which just slows down the bat. Kimbrel gets it going from both the mound and the box, LOL, that can’t be fair, can it?
Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Snipers and hitters, they’re all the same.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:26 pm
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:27 pm
that wasn’t meant at scoots
but rather the post above his.
reckingball
September 28th, 2012
2:29 pm
wax on, wax off
Dave Wilmot
September 28th, 2012
2:30 pm
Great story Mr. O’Brien. We are ALL lucky to have had Chipper on the Braves!!!
DS1
September 28th, 2012
2:30 pm
If I’m Matheny, I’d be tempted to run Carpenter out for the play in game.
extremus
September 28th, 2012
2:35 pm
Awesome career by a player I think we’re all going to miss after this season. Hopefully the Braves will be able to bookend his career with World Series championships. That would be fitting.
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
2:36 pm
Saying dumb things twice makes me really want to believe them…
Efrim
September 28th, 2012
2:38 pm
As long as the Cardinals don’t throw Jaime Garcia, I could care less which of the 4 other RHP’s they come at us with.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:40 pm
“stuck with him” Should have drafted van Poppel
Can you go away as well? Don’t want to be stuck with such stupidity…
DAP
September 28th, 2012
2:41 pm
efrim As long as the Cardinals don’t throw Jaime Garcia, I could care less which of the 4 other RHP’s they come at us with
yup. and i wonder what their game plan against medlen is going to be? you have to know the cardinal hitters will be studying him hard.
nolie
September 28th, 2012
2:42 pm
abhor the DH rule, I believe Bud and his Buds will prevail, and implement the DH rule universally,.. raleigh
on a recent interview Bud said there are no plans at all to bring the DL to the NL
nolie
September 28th, 2012
2:42 pm
I will miss Chipper terribly
reckingball
September 28th, 2012
2:43 pm
The WC playoff game, is a playoff game.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:44 pm
welcome back, noles
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:45 pm
(YAWN!) Still another great blog (I kid, I kid, I kid…)
Methinks it would be absolutely appropriate if the Braves would return the favor at the close of the home regular season, and sweep the Mutts the same way they swept us to open the season.
That Chipper will get as many chances as his health allows this weekend to do something (dare I say) grand, I am sure of. I am also sure that he will do something awesome this wekend.
That train will not be late.
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:45 pm
nolie…..good to see you. Hope you’re off the DL soon
Man Bubba and Web are on fire!
phil
September 28th, 2012
2:45 pm
Nolie polie…..
Glad to see you back here.
I’ve been missing Chipper all season in anticipation of the real thing. It’s awful. I hate when my sports heroes have to retire. He’s basically the last one.
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:46 pm
nolie, welcome back! Hope you are hale, hearty, and very well.
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
2:47 pm
Hey, nolie.
Good to see you, hope things are under control.
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:48 pm
Here’s hoping 14-16 years from now, we can say the same about Heyward, Freeman, and Medlen, phil.
Jeff R
September 28th, 2012
2:49 pm
Thank you, DOB…
ncgary
September 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
good afternoon bravos
go braves
Efrim
September 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
nolie, welcome back sir. Happy to see your comments!
McFann :Ô: :Ô: :ô:
September 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
Hi, nolie!!! How ya doing?…
nolie
September 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
Thanx guys. I was inspired by DOB’s song title : Here Comes A Regular…
and a great piece of writing David
CB
September 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
My 1st time doubling up, do you get a special reward for that/
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:51 pm
Paste eating window licker
ncgary
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
welcome back nolie
BravePack(FreeFan)
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
Great work DOB! One of your best yet…very heart-felt and sincere.
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
not you CB
cabravesfan
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
nolie! Hi
Efrim
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
Cardinals have a very good lineup: Jay, Beltran, Holliday, Craig, Molina, Freese, Schumaker, Kozma.
Medlen is going to have his work cut out for him. Should be a good game and I’m excited for it. Just wish it didn’t exist…..
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:52 pm
But I guess you knew that
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
2:53 pm
Salt life: I GOTTA use that line!
CB
September 28th, 2012
2:53 pm
Salt life
Efrim
September 28th, 2012
2:55 pm
Peavy’s uncertain future in Chicago
The White Sox hold a $22 million option for 2013 on Peavy; presumably, the team will decline that. Peavy has had a bounce-back season, but that kind of salary would represent about 20-25 percent of the team’s payroll, and it wouldn’t be good business for the team to pay him at that rate.
But Peavy is going to get paid this winter, nicely, whether it’s a renegotiated deal with the White Sox or as a free agent, because he is one of the relatively small group of second-tier pitchers ready to hit the market.
Zack Greinke is going to be the highest-paid free-agent pitcher, the only pitcher who might land a nine-figure deal. Behind him are Kyle Lohse, who turns 34 next week and is coming off a strong season with the Cardinals, Edwin Jackson, Ryan Dempster, Shaun Marcum, Francisco Liriano, Anibal Sanchez, Brandon McCarthy and Dan Haren, whose $15 million option with the Los Angeles Angels may well be declined. – Buster Olney
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
2:56 pm
Paste eating window licker?
Never heard that one. I like it, Salt.
PMC
September 28th, 2012
2:57 pm
“I’m never one to tell people they should spend their money on this or that, and I’ll be the first to say I can’t stand Atlanta’s gridlock traffic (thanks again for turning down the MARTA spur when the ballpark was built so you could reap parking fees, you astute leaders with such grand vision).”
Requoted, for Emphasis. These people were dropped on thier heads while eating paint chips as children.
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:57 pm
Mia…….it paints a picture.
phil
September 28th, 2012
2:58 pm
The thought of the game next Friday is just disheartening to me….
They bust their butts for 6 months, only to risk elimination in ONE game? Too many random possibilities poised to get us.
That said, if it’s played in the afternoon, like so many of our playoff games were early in the last decade, I think I’ll just cry. That used to upset me terribly because I could never watch it.
Hopefully we can overcome this and get a crack at the 5 game deal. The baseball gods kinda owe us that…
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
2:59 pm
Bat…it’s my favorite. I find mouth breathing knuckle dragger is over used
phil
September 28th, 2012
2:59 pm
I just licked my window….
Very dirty. Bad idea. Tastes pretty lousy too.
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:02 pm
Atlanta Braves @Braves
Tonight’s lineup vs. NYM (7:35, PTV/680AM/BRN): Johnson 8 Prado 7 Heyward 9 Jones 5 Freeman 3 Uggla 4 Ross 2 Simmons 6 Hudson 1
Johnson and Ross in…. Fredi must be checking the stats. However, would’ve liked to see Baker in, he’s done well against Niese.
Reid in EAV
September 28th, 2012
3:02 pm
Pitch perfect dedication, David. Snif.
Efrim
September 28th, 2012
3:04 pm
Atlanta Braves @Braves
Tonight’s lineup vs. NYM (7:35, PTV/680AM/BRN): Johnson 8 Prado 7 Heyward 9 Jones 5 Freeman 3 Uggla 4 Ross 2 Simmons 6 Hudson 1
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
3:04 pm
I remember one night, on here, when mouth breather had to be explained.
George_George
September 28th, 2012
3:05 pm
Repost from old blog
*********************
George_George
September 28th, 2012
2:57 pm
nolie
September 28th, 2012
2:23 pm
abhor the DH rule, I believe Bud and his Buds will prevail, and implement the DH rule universally,.. raleigh
on a recent interview Bud said there are no plans at all to bring the DL to the NL
*************
Good day all
Hope it never happens. Welcome back nolie, hope all is well with you now. IT IS CHIPPER DAY, Pray no rain.
CB
September 28th, 2012
3:08 pm
Someone needs to put a water hose on Bubba and Webb. They are on fire!
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:09 pm
I use “drooling basset hound” and “troglodyte” quite often, Salt.
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:10 pm
Bat, on that night, didya haveta bust out the crayons?
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
3:11 pm
CB – four pretty good tee shots on that hole…
TheOnlyBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:11 pm
Braves hitters against Niese–
Johnson- .500/.538/.500/1.038 6 for 12, 2 RBI
Prado- .222/.300/.444/.744 6 for 27, 4 doubles and a triple
Heyward- .412/.474/.882/1.356 7 for 17, 2 doubles, 2 HR, 8 RBI
Jones- .200/.190/.450/.640 4 for 20, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Freeman- .313/.313/.563/.875 5 for 16, 1 double, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Uggla- .250/.300/.357/.657 7 for 28, 3 doubles, 8 RBI
Ross- .400/.438/.800/1.238 6 for 15, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 HR, 8 RBI
Simmons- Never faced Niese
Hudson- Never faced Niese
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
3:12 pm
Mia…nose picking unibrow is another I like.
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
3:13 pm
That match could be over just after the turn
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:13 pm
Maybe with a little rain, and one far away lightning strike, The Natural Hoss will blast one into the upper pavillion.
George_George
September 28th, 2012
3:13 pm
With 91 wins and counting, even if he blows the play-in game it will be difficult to FIRE FREDI. WHAT A SHAME.
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
3:15 pm
It was just funny, Salt. Someone broke out mouth breathing and someone else had never heard it.
Had to post some links to convence them it was a fairly common insult.
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:17 pm
Bat, the “someone else” was probably twangin’ on a banjo while daydreaming about Ned Beatty’s booty.
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
3:17 pm
If only we had the 84 wins you had been hoping for…
Salt life
September 28th, 2012
3:19 pm
Gotta love Bubba….encouraging the crowd to cheer during his tee shot on 1….posing after his tee shot on 8….he’s strutting around like a Bantam (bantee as grandma used to say) rooster
DAP
September 28th, 2012
3:19 pm
the onlybravesfan You wouldn’t care at all?
im just not worried about it. the braves hit righties well, and kris medlen is on the mound for us. im feeling good.
George_George
September 28th, 2012
3:19 pm
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:13 pm
Maybe with a little rain, and one far away lightning strike, The Natural Hoss will blast one into the upper pavillion.
****************************************************
That would be great just like the movie but the press box might catch on fire and DOB would have to run.
TennesseePaul
September 28th, 2012
3:21 pm
Last 9 Starts of the Starting 9
_________AVG__OBP__SLG___OPS_wOBA_L9S9+
Reed___ .257 .257 .286 0.543 .267 ___59
Prado__ .424 .486 .636 1.123 .476 __225
Heyward .206 .263 .324 0.587 .282 ___70
Chipper .241 .395 .310 0.705 .316 __111
Freeman .212 .270 .394 0.664 .266 ___91
Uggla__ .258 .333 .452 0.785 .363 __127
Ross___ .212 .229 .364 0.592 .250 ___69
Simmons .276 .333 .310 0.644 .295 ___90
Hudson_ .263 .263 .368 0.632 .235 ___82
MiaBchBravesFan
September 28th, 2012
3:23 pm
When are pre-game festivities slated to start? Gonna go to a local watering hole to get the feed. Is the MLB Network carrying any of it?
ncscoots
September 28th, 2012
3:23 pm
I’ll miss that frickin’ swing, and that’s a fact. Sweeter than Tupelo Honey.
Venice Jim
September 28th, 2012
3:23 pm
And Webb nails another one…
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
3:23 pm
Squeal like a pig.
Yikes!
Shaun
September 28th, 2012
3:27 pm
Shaun, while I agree that the heart of an order can show up in the 7th or 8th, the ninth is the end. Hitters adjust, go to the opposite field, do whatever it takes to stave off eventual loss. In a close game, that matters. Even in the 7th, a hitter is apt to think that there are still AB chances, and will stay within himself to get on or hit a dinger.
But there may be better hitters coming up in an earlier hitters. So you would want to get your best run-preventer on the mound when the best hitters are coming up. The 9th inning or the last inning doesn’t turn the weaker hitters into the best hitters. You attack the best part of their lineup with your best reliever, late in a close game, no matter if it’s the last inning or not.
all things being equal, maybe. but the 7th inning is different form the 9th. the 9th is the end. what happens in the 9th has a bigger impact on the game, because afterwards…theres no more game.
Yes, but the point of using one of if not your best reliever earlier than the last inning is so that the 9th inning is relevant. The last inning doesn’t matter if an inferior reliever blows the game in the 7th inning because you asked him to face the other team’s toughest hitters.
You couldn’t possibly know this. In the seventh inning you have no idea of what the 9th may hold. All you do know is that, barring a hurricane, there will be a 9th inning. Put another way…”it seems to me that if a teams best three hitters are up in the 7th inning of a close game, it’s possible that the team sends enough hitters up in the 8th to permit bringing the big hitters up again in the 9th making the situation in the 9th even more difficult than previously assumed.”
Yes, it’s possible. But you shouldn’t always play for what may happen in the 9th when the game is on the line earlier. If a team’s best hitters are up in an earlier inning, you could blow the game there and the 9th inning could be irrelevant. You shouldn’t save your best reliever for the 9th, if the other team’s best are coming up in the 7th or 8th, because of the possibility that those hitters come back around again in the 9th.
You go with your best reliever as soon as the situation call for it, whether it be the 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th, because if you wait until the last inning due to the possibility that the best hitters will come up, then the game may be blown by then.
ncscoots
September 28th, 2012
3:28 pm
Oh well, only another 12 or 13 years until I can see Chipper’s son is throwing lumber, I guess.
phil
September 28th, 2012
3:30 pm
I see Bourn continues to have thumb issues….just as well for now. Maybe he’ll get over his funk.
Bat Masterson
September 28th, 2012
3:31 pm
It’s gonna be weird, no doubt about it.