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3,117 comments Add your comment
Kris
October 4th, 2012
3:00 pm
Next year we should go after Josh Hamilton for 25 mil x 5 years. Chipper money off the books and don’t pick up McCann option it’s possible. Just hook him up with northpoint church for accountability with his substance abuse.
Brian from SC
October 4th, 2012
3:02 pm
Here are the Braves’ leaders for 2012, and where they placed in the NL as a whole:
Games – Heyward – 158 (6th)
Plate Apperances – Bourn – 703 (2nd)
Hits – Bourn – 171 (13th)
Runs – Bourn – 96 (6th)
Doubles – Prado – 42 (5th)
Triples – Bourn – 10 (5th)
Home runs – Heyward – 27 (14th)
RBI – Freeman – 94 (13th)
Stolen Bases – Bourn – 42 (2nd)
Walks – Uggla – 94 (1st)
Strikeouts – Uggla – 168 (4th)
Batting average – Prado – .301 (12th)
OBP – Prado – .359 (16th)
SLG – Heyward – .479 (21st)
OPS – Heyward – .814 (26th)
Total bases – Heyward – 281 (12th)
GIDP – Prado – 19 (2nd)
Total Pos. Player WAR – Bourn – 6.0 (6th)
Offensive WAR – Bourn/Prado/Heyward – 3.2 (22nd)
Defensive WAR – Bourn – 3.0 (2nd)
DS1
October 4th, 2012
3:04 pm
cricket
I was mostly kidding about having a whipping boy. We’ve had a great season, win or lose.
Danga
Fredi is a wild card. He scares the heck out of me sometimes. Sunday might be a good day to rest up Heyward against a tough lefty. That’d be a Fredi move. And let’s bunt Bourn over after he takes a walk in the first inning tomorrow. All Fredi moves. All scary as heck.
unbelievable
October 4th, 2012
3:04 pm
Braves cant afford Hamilton. He’ll get too many years and too much money. He and Uggla would make up almost 50% of our payroll. That would be a total disaster.
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:05 pm
Danga – I think it’s easy to second guess any manager, and Fredi (especially at times last year) has made himself an easy target. That said, very few games are decided by an ingame decision by the manager…and often it was the right call, even if it goes wrong. But it’s OK to be a little nervous, and worry. We all are ….well, apprehensive.
cricket
October 4th, 2012
3:05 pm
TheOnlyBravesFan – thanks for the link
David O'Brien
October 4th, 2012
3:05 pm
McCann on possible shoulder surgery in offseason: “There’s a pretty good chance. That’s something that we’re going to have to find out after the season, once all the inflammation calms down and I’m able to get a dye [contrast] MRI, where they can read a little more into it.”
Tomahawkin (LCS or BUST)
October 4th, 2012
3:05 pm
Kris
“Next year we should go after Josh Hamilton for 25 mil x 5 years.”
No offense, but Thank Gawd You are not the GM…
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:06 pm
If the Braves don’t pick up Mac’s option (which is about as likely as them signing Hamilton) they would have to spend money on a starting catcher, because Ross is not an everyday starter and Boscan is the only other option within the organization.
Brian from SC
October 4th, 2012
3:09 pm
Some more advanced offensive stuff
ISO power – Heyward – .210 (18th)
Pwr/Spd # – Heyward – 23.6 (5th)
Win Probability Added – Heyward – 2.4 (23rd)
Lowest K% – Prado – 10.0% (7th)
K/BB (lowest) – Prado – 1.19 (3rd)
HR/FB – Heyward – 12.8% (14th)
Pitches/PA – Uggla – 4.17 (4th)
Contact% – Prado – 90% (2nd)
Dum-Bass
October 4th, 2012
3:09 pm
Danga, you are not alone. I’m there with you. That part bothers me the most. He only halfway started doing thing logically for the last month or so. I am also wondering why they are out there today at 1PM running through a workout rather than 5PM today so as to get JHey some flyballs in RF. That sun gave him trouble during the year a couple of times during late afternoon games.
ChattTownBrian
October 4th, 2012
3:09 pm
McCann is a good sport. What else to expect though.
Dum-Bass
October 4th, 2012
3:12 pm
Those pushing for Josh Hamilton should have been reading what I was last night on the Dallas newspaper blog. It was not a pretty sight. Read lots of things I was unaware of. Don’t really think Braves fans would be too happy with him.
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:15 pm
The one game thing kinda stinks…but as a fan, I’ve had a great time this year.
Ask a Red Sox or Angels fan how much fun they’ve had.
Ask a Cubs or Astros fan how much fun they EVER have.
Ask 20 teams if they would like to be in our shoes.
Win or lose tomorrow, thanks for the ride, Braves.
Murph
October 4th, 2012
3:17 pm
Chone Figgins wants out of Seattle, says he doesn’t know if he can take another year of playing for the Mariners.
I wonder if the Mariners can take another year of playing with Chone Figgins.
Brave New World
October 4th, 2012
3:17 pm
Best 2 strike batting average (.290) in MLB: Martin Prado
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:19 pm
if you could do one thing to change the world and make it a better place for all of us what would it be?
second question??
then why aren’t you doing it?
ncscoots
October 4th, 2012
3:19 pm
Look, if Ross blows the game you get to come on here and tell everyone how you were right.
Which, of course, is something I’ve never done and never would. Not in my nature to be a chest-thumper. People either remember what you write here, or they don’t. Either way, it’s enough that I, personally, know if I’ve been right or wrong about something. In that respect, I’m the only one that matters.
Besides, I doubt that Ross would be held responsible for a loss, and there’s no way to know if Heap would have been better, worse, or indifferent. Not after the fact. There’s only the game, and what happened. There is no if-then-else in baseball.
P-Town Brave ©
October 4th, 2012
3:20 pm
The fact that BMac thinks surgery is a real possibility tells me all I need to know about why he isn’t in there for a do or die game against a running team….
Cue Scoots and the WAAAAAAAAHHHHHmbulance
B*tch moan B*tch moan…..WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH
Brave New World
October 4th, 2012
3:20 pm
On the short list of players we do not need for next year: Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton. Let the Yankees or Dodgers overpay for those 2.
Lane Kiffin
October 4th, 2012
3:21 pm
Starting Ross is one of the best decisions that Fredi has made this season.
Kris
October 4th, 2012
3:21 pm
Add Josh Hamilton minus Chipper, McCann, Lowe, Bourne money it’s possible. Let Hamilton play center with Reed and Costanza backing. We have the starting pitching set with beachy, Medlen, hudson, minor, maholme, Hanson, delgado. We have the infield set with Prado moving to third. We need an impact outfield bat to replace chipper.
DS1
October 4th, 2012
3:22 pm
Murph
I saw that same article on Figgins. Wonder if he and the union would be willing to walk away from his contract? Then he could sell himself to the highest bidder.
Maybe he could play for the Great Falls Cowboys??
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:22 pm
Forget the cost…Hamilton (love him…he’s a Raleigh boy, with a great story), has SCARY baggage…and no spring chicken, to boot.
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:24 pm
Kevin McAlpin @KevinMcAlpin
Ross: “its probably the biggest game of my career, by far. Im excited. Im going to go out there and give us the best chance to win” #Braves
Brian from SC
October 4th, 2012
3:25 pm
How about the pitchers
Wins – Hudson – 16 (6th)
Win % – Hudson – .696 (8th)
ERA – Hudson – 3.62 (18th)
Saves – Kimbrel – 42 (1st)
Innings – Minor – 179.1 (36th)
Strikeouts – Hanson – 161 (25th)
Walks – Hanson – 71 (9th)
Hits – Hanson – 183 (25th)
Runs – Hanson – 95 (11th)
WHIP – Minor – 1.154 (9th)
H/9 – Minor – 7.6 (5th)
HR/9 – Hudson – 0.6 (6th)
BB/9 – Hudson – 2.4 (21st)
K/9 – Hanson – 8.3 (14th)
K/BB – Minor – 2.59 (28th)
Pitching WAR – Medlen – 4.4 (5th)
BA Against – Minor – .232 (6th)
OBP Against – Minor – .294 (12th)
SLG Against – Hudson – .361 (4th)
OPS Against – Hudson – .666 (8th)
Win Probability Added – Kimbrel – 4.4 (1st)
Quality Starts – Minor – 16 (34th)
IP/Start – Hudson – 6.4 (11th)
SV% – Kimbrel – 93% (2nd)
GB/FB Ratio – Hudson – 1.23 (5th)
Pitches/PA – Hudson – 3.49 (3rd)
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:26 pm
if i were gm ing id think about laroche
and if ff could make the move to 3rd
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:26 pm
if i were gm ing id think about laroche
and if ff could make the move to 3rd
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:26 pm
Kevin McAlpin @KevinMcAlpin
Ross (on catching Medlen): “he’s a different bird and he’s a lot of fun to catch. One of my favorites on the team” #Braves
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:26 pm
Kris – What psrt of SCAREY BAGGAGE do you not get? I Doubt Texas offers him a long term deal.
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:26 pm
Add Josh Hamilton minus Chipper, McCann, Lowe, Bourne money it’s possible. Let Hamilton play center with Reed and Costanza backing.
I hope you don’t mind seeing Johnson & Constanza playing a lot, because it would happen. Plus, again, money would need to be spent on a starting catcher. And we still need a solid left fielder.
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:27 pm
Kevin McAlpin @KevinMcAlpin
Simmons: “to me, it’s the same game. You cant approach it different” #Braves
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:27 pm
Hamilton w/ Reed and Constanza? Mercy…
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:27 pm
Why would the Braves be interested in LaRoche when we have Freeman?
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:28 pm
Kevin McAlpin @KevinMcAlpin
Heyward: “were just going to go out here and have some fun and understand we want to win and thats what were going to set out to do” #Braves
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:30 pm
Napoli would be “cheap” (8-9 mil?)…. but I’m all for keeping Mac next year, no need to worry about that.
DS1
October 4th, 2012
3:30 pm
If Lane Kiffin says so, that’s all I need to know. Mac should be starting!
He’s not healthy enough to start against the righty tomorrow, but he’s OK for the NLCS? But the Cards are such an explosive running team!!! Seriously? Have you looked at their running game? Really?
Fredo is overthinking again.
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:30 pm
Kevin McAlpin @KevinMcAlpin
Simmons: “it’s pretty exciting but at the same time, I can’t get too amped up. It’s the same game” #Braves
Kris
October 4th, 2012
3:31 pm
So McCanns days with the braves over already? Why not sign him cheap on a down year?
George_George
October 4th, 2012
3:31 pm
Lane Kiffin
October 4th, 2012
3:21 pm
Starting Ross is one of the best decisions that Fredi has made this season.
***********
YUP Lane. but George is nervous about the game, the wife is also nervous, even Peanut the Manchester Terrier IS nervous.
George_George
October 4th, 2012
3:34 pm
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:27 pm
Why would the Braves be interested in LaRoche when we have Freeman?
******************************************************************
FREDDY will be our 1ST BASEMAN for years hopefully.
RC
October 4th, 2012
3:34 pm
This has probably been linked to already, but here’s a little more fuel for the fire in the ongong Trout v. Cabrera debate:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/trout-versus-cabrera-offense-only-context-included/
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:35 pm
even Peanut the Manchester Terrier IS nervous.
Frodo and Rosie, the Shih Tzus, ain’t shook.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:35 pm
cab ff said he can play 3rd
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
Enter your comments herenow whether he can at major league level? i worded it as it was asked though. if ff can play 3rd
Murph
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
Mike Minor really proved me wrong this season… pretty impressive numbers put up by the kid.
I think it’s safe to say he won’t need to worry about any “if they won’t play me they should trade me” comments this spring.
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
I find it unlikely that Napoli leaves Texas…
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
Freddie hasn’t played 3B since ‘07, when he played all of 5 games there. Doesn’t seem like the best fit over there… he’s a 1B.
DS1
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
Max the Pug didn’t seem to be too worried when I last saw him this morning! But then again, all he worries about is his next dish of food.
Frankie
October 4th, 2012
3:37 pm
Relax Bravo fans,
Last time Frankie went to the Ted for playoff game Smoltzie beat Clemons in Game 2 in 2005. Frankie in the Ted tomorrow and Bravos triumphant. Really nothing to worry about. Smoke em if you have em.
Murph
October 4th, 2012
3:38 pm
Frodo and Rosie, the Shih Tzus, ain’t shook.
Tickles, my 15 year old basset hound, just crapped on the floor. But she does that every day. Hard to get a read on if she’s nervous or not.
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:38 pm
ncgary-
Doesn’t matter IF he can- we have a 3rd baseman for years to come and we have a 1st baseman for years to come
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:38 pm
no matter who we get wren has his work cut out for him with a 90 million dollar budget
abeeeewright
October 4th, 2012
3:39 pm
Keith Law … “7. Adam Wainwright, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals”
Too bad he’s not going to get to throw a post-season pitch.
RC
October 4th, 2012
3:41 pm
ncgary-
Doesn’t matter IF he can- we have a 3rd baseman for years to come and we have a 1st baseman for years to come
By our 3rd baseman for years to come, I assume you mean Prado? While I’d love for that to be the case, the Braves currently have Prado for ONE more year to come, after which he’s a free agent. If I were in charge of the team I’d certainly be doing all I could to get Prado signed ASAP, but the reality is that until he does sign a longer contract there is no guarantee he’ll be around come 2014.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:41 pm
well laroche would probably sign here reasonanly. prado coul
and we still need a starting cfd stay in left
Brava
October 4th, 2012
3:41 pm
Murph, maybe she was sending Wainwright a response.
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
Yes, I mean Prado, and yes, I expect the Braves to sing him long term, perhaps as soon as this off season.
abeeeewright
October 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
“FREDDY will be our 1ST BASEMAN for years hopefully.”
Braves are going to blow up the team if they don’t win the play-in game. They really need to restock the farm system and “go young.”
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
Could mean Francisco… Joe Simpson and Jim Powell seem to love the guy
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
TOBF – For such a young guy, you seem to know right much about baseball…except for that Greinke thing, of course.
phil
October 4th, 2012
3:43 pm
Simmons is clueless….
yeah. just another game.
Bring back Hack wilson!!
abeeeewright
October 4th, 2012
3:43 pm
…” I expect the Braves to sing him long term…”
O sole mio …
Oops. Just realized you wanged that one.
George_George
October 4th, 2012
3:44 pm
cab is USC on TV ? Thought I saw a post that said so. Would they go up against a NFL telecast? if they are playing I will watch USC.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:44 pm
typo after typo
looks like its time for another xanax
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:44 pm
abeeeewright-
I did…
phil
October 4th, 2012
3:45 pm
Although i agree with playing Ross….
Go ahead and fire FG now!!
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:46 pm
I can’t imagine the Braves would have any interest in signing LaRoche (who I have always liked, by the way)
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
3:46 pm
RC – Prado COULD leave…but I think Prado as a long term Brave is as good of a bet as you will find today. I expect the first real work Wren does during the off season will be extending Prado.
P-Town Brave ©
October 4th, 2012
3:46 pm
CA-
And what exactly will they sing to him ….
A couple ditties? Maybe a ballad or two?
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:47 pm
George-
Yes, USC is on TV tonight- at least regionally. ESPN
Murph
October 4th, 2012
3:47 pm
Murph, maybe she was sending Wainwright a response.
We have to keep the dog cordoned off from certain parts of the house because my 6 year old is allergic to dogs. Not a bad allergy, but she gets hives and stuff sometimes.
Anywho, whenever the dog escapes her safe zone in the kitchen area she heads right upstairs and craps in front of the 6 year old’s door. Without fail. Every time.
I mentioned to the 6 year old that I thought the dog was sending her a message, and now the 6 year old hates the dog.
Parenting for the win.
ncscoots
October 4th, 2012
3:50 pm
Frodo and Rosie, the Shih Tzus, ain’t shook.
Shouldn’t that have been Samwise and Rosie?
I mean, not my dogs, but in the interest of syncing up the storyline…
George_George
October 4th, 2012
3:50 pm
Thanks cab. now outta here for a bit. Have a good one all.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:50 pm
I don’t really know that much, RBF… still learning. This blog is a great place to start.
P-Town Brave ©
October 4th, 2012
3:51 pm
Murph-
Could be worse….
Your 6 year old could turn around and crap in the kitchen as a response to the dog
ncscoots
October 4th, 2012
3:51 pm
They really need to restock the farm system and “go young.”
They’ll be back in the birth canal if they get any younger.
Kris
October 4th, 2012
3:52 pm
Assuming Prado plays third, r Johnson/ Costanza plays center, who is going to play left field? And no McCann either? That is one thin bottom half of the lineup. We need one impact bat and that is Hamilton.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:52 pm
hopefully this is the scenario
liberty is ready tpo sell
so they pay off mlb who agree to take the 250 million bribe and divide it equally
among the players union and seligs office
world series win ups braves price by 500 million , liberty gets a write off for the bribe
and pay dsay from the series win
we all get to chop chop
chop
chop
lol
Frankie
October 4th, 2012
3:53 pm
Well the 6 and 7 combination of Uggla and McCann really hasn’t resembled Ruth and Gehrig much this season. Just call a good game Rossy and Uggs will be the hero with the bat.
GREAT CALL FG!
RC
October 4th, 2012
3:53 pm
RC – Prado COULD leave…but I think Prado as a long term Brave is as good of a bet as you will find today. I expect the first real work Wren does during the off season will be extending Prado.
I certainly hope that turns out to be the case….I just don’t want to count my chickens or third basemen before they hatch or sign.
RC
October 4th, 2012
3:54 pm
Assuming Prado plays third, r Johnson/ Costanza plays center, who is going to play left field? And no McCann either? That is one thin bottom half of the lineup. We need one impact bat and that is Hamilton.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I am trusting that FW will get us SOMEONE other than that duo to play CF next year.
cabravesfan
October 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
Hamilton is too expensive, too injury prone, and has too much baggage.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
whats it take to sign the flying hawaiian?
3 yrs 21 million
thats too much bob
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
We need one impact bat and that is Hamilton.
A guy who’s gonna be 32 next year… K’s about as much as Uggla did this year. I’ll pass.
Give me an Alex Gordon/Choo/Willingham/Ross instead.
Murph
October 4th, 2012
3:57 pm
Your 6 year old could turn around and crap in the kitchen as a response to the dog
That would be the 4 year old… and I only wish I was kidding.
To be fair she hasn’t done that since she was 3, though.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
3:58 pm
braves payroll and scoreboard are sure gonna miss chipper
the man played a lot of yeats at half price of what he could have got in pin stripes
MiaBchBravesFan
October 4th, 2012
3:58 pm
cricket: regardless of tomorrow’s outcome, Frank Wren will have A LOT to answer for regarding his gross ineptitude regarding poor organization evaluation on hitting, OF development, and overall mediocrity when it comes to developing positional players.
The investment in Dan Uggla also represents an egregious lack of judgement, compounded by a contract extension that will hamstring the Braves for the next several seasons. Frank Wren gets paid handsomely to not only make trades, but pass judgement on players who may or may not be a good fit for the ballclub. As many of us here surmised – after the patina of joy in having obtained Uggla wore off – his streakiness, relatively poor BA, and huge K bat did not merit the huge investment made. This move is on par with the nearly $90 million horrifically wasted – the sum of a recent annual budget for this team! – on the well-documented idiocy of signing Derek Lowe & Kenshin Kawakami, compounded by the Great Nate McLouth debacle.
The pathetically poor hitting construct of this team, as has been the case for many seasons now – means that Frank Wren has quite a lot to answer for in his INability to assess, cultivate, and procure hitting.
ncscoots
October 4th, 2012
3:58 pm
but I think Prado as a long term Brave is as good of a bet as you will find today.
Just because Prado has been a good soldier and hasn’t spewed to the media, doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking, “Sick and tired of these mofos bouncing my *** all over the field, hurting my value and taking money out of my family’s mouth. Scroom. I’m going FA when I get the chance.”
DAP
October 4th, 2012
3:59 pm
brian from sc, prado leads the team in hits, not bourn. thank for copiling all the stats though. very interesting.
Sopheee
October 4th, 2012
4:01 pm
‘teen ‘teen would never leave me.
Frankie
October 4th, 2012
4:01 pm
I am really worried about this lineup tomorrow. No lefty, righty, lefty throughout the lineup????????????????? How can that be possible???????????????????????????????????
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
4:01 pm
exactly scoots the smart ones don’t spout off
Kris
October 4th, 2012
4:02 pm
If not Hamilton, Choo will do. Can he play center? He will hit 280/ 350 with 15-20 homers. That’s good enough for me for #2 or #6 type hitter.
ncgary
October 4th, 2012
4:02 pm
i love the braves and if i had the talent
i wouldn’t have wanted to play for the cheap sobs
lol
ncscoots
October 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
Soph, he’d be heartbroken, sure, but a Martin gotta do what a Martin gotta do.
‘Course, for all I know, he’s salivating at the chance to spend his entire career as a Brave and will play for the min + 10% somewhere just short of forever.
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
4:05 pm
MiaBch – I don’t even know where to begin….
Puma
October 4th, 2012
4:06 pm
Just as a disclaimer, I agree that Ross should start tomorrow, he has just played better last few months than McCann. What I question is Fredi’s logic, at least in this quote:
“He’s beat up. He’s been banged up for a while,” Gonzalez said. “Again, a one-game series, you go with Rossy. In a longer series, (McCann is) going to play. He’s not that banged up.”
Soooo, Rossy in one game, but in longer series McCann, because….why exactly? He’s too banged up for one game, but not that banged up for a longer series….hmmm. OK, I am not following
raleighbravefan
October 4th, 2012
4:07 pm
scoots – You could be right about Prado…we won’t know until we know.
Of course there IS that Braves doing everything they could to help him with his mother thing…
nolie
October 4th, 2012
4:07 pm
If I’m the Cardinals, I’m feeling pretty good about this game…Mixxo
FCS if you were the Astros you’d be feeling pretty good about this game