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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:14 pm
Johnny Cueto is dealing with a mild oblique strain.
Not good. I’m hoping for a Reds/Tigers World Series. Be happy if either of those two win it.
southern hope
October 9th, 2012
4:18 pm
I’m so tired of *next* year always being the year.
sigh.
Before I leave 2012, thanks DOB for the great columns…and thanks fellow posters for some very entertaining/irritating/smart posts.
I’ll be back once my dark mood has lifted.
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:18 pm
Ya know what I’m hoping isn’t an option? Keeping Prado in LF and signing Kevin Youkilis.
Yuck. Really hope we aren’t considering that.
Shaun
October 9th, 2012
4:18 pm
DOB, A-Rod isn’t exactly young. He’s 36 playing with a bad hip that’s he’s been dealing with for several years now. That doesn’t factor in like it does with Chipper because it doesn’t fit the mainstream media/Skip Bayless/lazy narrative about A-Rod being a choke artist.
(Watch the Mark Cuban/Skip Bayless video to see someone with some intelligence tear down a moron in the mainstream media regarding the LeBron-is-a-choker narrative. You can easily find the video online.)
If A-Rod is a choke artist, why has he had some success in the postseason?
As far as 2 outs, RISP, that goes right back to the sample size issue or (oh, yeah, I have to put it in non-statistical terms) the issue with not being able to draw definitive conclusions about a player without watching them for a rather long time frame.
How many times do we see good, even great, player struggle worse than any other through the first month or so of a season? Happens to at least a few players every single season. Yet, for some reason we forget all that and suddenly think 20-40 games, sometimes fewer than that, are enough.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:20 pm
CC (Atlanta)
How does Fredi G not get tossed from the game in that situation? Cox would’ve probably had an aneurysm… which is actually helpful to us Braves fans. Fredi has no fire.
David Schoenfield (2:15 PM)
I was wondering how far the umps would have let Fredi go there? I’m guessing a punch in the face would have merited a toss, but anything short of that? He should have pulled a Piniella and threw a base or kicked some dirt.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:21 pm
Even the once-great can become choking-dog apple-swallowers.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:21 pm
CC (Atlanta)
Seriously though, imagine Cox in that spot. He would’ve weaved a web of curses unsurpassed in recent history. Spit balls would’ve been flying from his mouth. It would’ve been an epic outburst.
Tumbledown
October 9th, 2012
4:21 pm
This argument about Arod kinda reminds me about the debate between Eli Manning and Tony Romo. Romo sure puts up the pretty stats in the regular season and looks good with his fancy passes and gun-slinger attitude. Come playoff time, give me Eli Manning every time (and I am a big Cowboys’ fan). Manning has performed incredibly in the playoff run to two Super Bowls. Romo has failed in numerous crucial games, including the playoffs. But, Romo sure can light up the poor teams during the regular season. Clutch!!
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:22 pm
chriss (wpb, fl)
Do you think the Braves take Maholm’s extention?
Jerry Crasnick (1:04 PM)
Chris, Yes, I think the Braves will exercise Paul Maholm’s $6.5 million extension. He’s a solid lefty who can give them 180 innings with a 3.50 ERA or thereabouts. That’s a pretty good return for the cost.
Rick C
October 9th, 2012
4:22 pm
The Truth…, I would say 94 wins is a quality baseball team. That’s no excuse for the fans not showing up. But Liberty Media obviously wants to see a profit and they won’t increase payroll if the fans don’t show.
I would say luck tends to balance out over 162 games.
Diaz was signed as a bench player. Not to play LF.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:23 pm
Frank Wren (Atlanta, GA)
So, I’ve said publicly that I won’t be pursuing pitching this offseason. Is that a good decision? I don’t have a #1-2 right now
Jerry Crasnick (1:15 PM)
Frank, You only have so much money to go around, and you’ll have to find a way to replace both Chipper and (probably) Michael Bourn. You’ve got Medlen, Hudson, Minor and Maholm, and the kids in the minors still trying to make that final step. I think offense has to be the priority.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:24 pm
I was wondering how far the umps would have let Fredi go there?
A long way down the road, I expect. New playoff format, instant elimination game, and like that? Plenty, plenty far.
I think walking out to where the ball landed, in a pacing-off gesture, might have done it.
BravePack(FreeFan)
October 9th, 2012
4:24 pm
First time back since Friday’s debacle. Just a couple points to make which have already been made by many. I love Chipper and is/has always been one of my fav Braves but he blew it Friday. That throw to 2nd started it and it got worse from there. It was upsetting but I can’t blame him as he’s 40 years old, had just played a week straight basically, and is broken down. Shame it had to end that way but it’s time. Thanks Chipper for all the years of enjoyment watching you as a Brave…it was a great regular season career.
I’ve read all the pages of trade and free agent ideas and I’m in favor of some but one I am not in favor is definitely a 34 year old with a bad back just coming off a career year. I don’t think Wren would be interested as I believe I read in years past that Willingham is not a guy the Braves are interested in. Stay away Wren. Gordon would be a great option but not sure what it would take to get him from KC. Honestly, seeing how Wren has worked in the past it is probably someone no one has mentioned yet and will come out of nowhere, whether it be OF or 3B.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:25 pm
CC (Atlanta)
All the nonsensical support of Sam Holbrook aside, MLB and Torre know that was a terrible call, right? I get the public spin but I at least hope they realize that was NOT an infield fly rule play. And how can Holbrook and Torre claim he made the call immediately? The tape shows the exact opposite!
Jerry Crasnick (1:25 PM)
CC, I agree. I thought it was a terrible call. Maybe Sam Holbrook was adjusting to a different angle out in left field, but there’s no way that should have been called an infield fly 225 feet from home plate. Too many bad things can happen when infielders and outfielders are just a few feet from each other. It was just a bad call.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:25 pm
Jason (St Louis)
But I think everyone outside Atlanta agrees that the Braves lost that game in the first six innings. They were as likely to see McCann hit in to a DP as anything else.
Jerry Crasnick (1:28 PM)
Jason, Yes, absolutely correct. If Chipper Jones had made an accurate throw on that DP ball, I think Atlanta would have won that game. That throw changed the entire tone of the game, and the Braves never recovered.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:27 pm
I think walking out to where the ball landed, in a pacing-off gesture, might have done it.
THIS would have been incredible. I will also say that those 10 seconds in the stand between Fredi walking off the field and the umpire motioning that Simmons was out were more tense than any horror movie I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but it was obvious SOMETHING was about to go down.
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:29 pm
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/splits/_/id/28668/homer-bailey
I mean take a look at those splits from Homer Bailey. He needs out of that ballpark bad. Great road stats – 16 starts, 108.2 IP, 85 hits, 28 ER, 5 HR’s, 24 BB’s, 89 K’s, 2.32 ERA.
Always tricky with pitchers from Arlington and Cincy. Derek Holland is a guy to watch too. Provided he’s healthy.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:33 pm
I didn’t know what was going to happen, but it was obvious SOMETHING was about to go down.
Cold ball in the gut when I saw his arm go up. Judgment calls like that, the crew doesn’t want to show up the guy, they almost never get put to right. That was just the last of the thousand cuts, that night, draining the final drop of blood.
Brave New World
October 9th, 2012
4:34 pm
MLB really needs to make sure Sam Holbrook never umps another game at Turner Field. If he does the Braves need to place a net over all the lower levels and station Waste Management teams on the field to haul the beer bottles and cans off to be recycled. “Hey Sam, This Bud’s for you!”
CB
October 9th, 2012
4:37 pm
Most people know I am not a Fredi fan, but no way did he stand behind his players on that play. I believe the players know that also.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:37 pm
MLB really needs to make sure Sam Holbrook never umps another game at Turner Field. If he does the Braves need to place a net over all the lower levels and station Waste Management teams on the field to haul the beer bottles and cans off to be recycled. “Hey Sam, This Bud’s for you!”
I really hope that with an offseason to get over the heat of the moment, Atlanta fans don’t react this way in future games.
That said, if I’m at a game he’s calling next year, I’ll be starting the “IN-FIELD FLY!” chant in the first inning, and not stopping until he retires from baseball.
Shaun
October 9th, 2012
4:39 pm
A player not performing in the clutch doesn’t mean that player lacks some sort of distinct clutch ability, can’t overcome pressure, etc. no more than a player (or a team) not performing on Mondays means he (they) lack some sort of distinct ability to perform well on Mondays. This is the problem with assigning meaning to a narrow set of games, plate appearances, etc. If you discount any possibility or likelihood of randomness, flukes, etc., you are going to mistakenly find meaning where there isn’t.
Let’s look at the Braves record on Mondays. Now, we could start with the assumption that it means something and come up with all sorts of reasons. Or we can keep an open mind and realize it may mean something or it may just be a result of randomness, a coincidence. Most people are reasonable and realize the most likely explanation is coincidence, randomness, because they haven’t closed out that possibility.
With things like hitting with RISP or clutch, people don’t often open themselves up to the possibility that randomness could very well occur. A player who we know is a good hitter could fail in the clutch or with RISP because of randomness. We need to assign meaning to situations like this because they are different than the whole Monday thing. They are important situations, so it’s near impossible for any amount of randomness and coincidence to come in to play. The more important the event, the more people need to assign meaning. But sometimes coincidence is all the explanation there is, whether the situation is important (clutch, RISP) or not (Mondays).
One-Eyed Mac
October 9th, 2012
4:39 pm
Not to beat a dead horse, but my problem with the infield fly call was not so much the distance or the lateness (although there’s a case to be made in both counts), but at no point during that play was the infielder under the ball. In fact, he was pulling away from the ball by the time the call was made. If you watch where the ball lands, at no point in the play did either field reach that spot.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:39 pm
Most people know I am not a Fredi fan, but no way did he stand behind his players on that play. I believe the players know that also.
I certainly have my issues with Fredi, but I don’t see how anyone can complain about how he handled this. Did you see him out there? He was practically screaming at the ump, and then forced them to go INTO THE CLUBHOUSE to confer with their boss on possibly overturning the play. There are times when Fredi isn’t quick enough to defend his players in my opinion. This was NOT one of them.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:41 pm
That said, if I’m at a game he’s calling next year, I’ll be starting the “IN-FIELD FLY!” chant in the first inning, and not stopping until he retires from baseball.
Yes, I think that’s appropriate, LOL.
I really was kinda shocked at folks throwing stuff on the field. I mean, I’ve been to who-knows-how-many games and I wouldn’t have believed that such a notion would have even occurred to Braves’ fans.
richbrave
October 9th, 2012
4:42 pm
EFRIM:
You and me too on SALCEDO.
I’m guessing here that neither AHMED nor SALCEDO man a position in the first game of the season due to fielding.
Kinda’ like Dr. STRANGEGLOVE meets ‘Marvelous MARV’ THRONEBERRY – a horror show the skipper wants to avoid in the first game of the season.
Murph
October 9th, 2012
4:43 pm
Most people know I am not a Fredi fan, but no way did he stand behind his players on that play. I believe the players know that also.
Nothing Fredi could have said would have changed things, so it doesn’t really matter. I was a little upset to see him standing around with the group of umpires, nodding, not looking mad or even perturbed, but that’s just Fredi. Wants to be liked by all.
Had I been the manager, knowing how badly my team needed a spark, I would have been counting off steps from home to the ball, throwing bases, spitting on children, and peeing on people’s shoes. But there’s a reason I sit behind a computer and am not out in the public eye.
CB
October 9th, 2012
4:43 pm
RC, I think I will agree to disagree on that one.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:44 pm
I really was kinda shocked at folks throwing stuff on the field. I mean, I’ve been to who-knows-how-many games and I wouldn’t have believed that such a notion would have even occurred to Braves’ fans.
Yeah, that was surprising. More surprising (or maybe it’s annoying) was how many of those jerks actually had good seats. Had I try to throw something from my upper deck seat I’d have been lucky to clear the railing. In general, “expensive seats” and “unruly behavior” don’t have a lot of overlap in their Venn Diagram.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:44 pm
but at no point during that play was the infielder under the ball.
And part of the rule is “ordinary effort”. You cannot assume “ordinary effort” from a player who is never in position to receive the ball.
Ah, well. Done is done. If the Wheel Of Karma ever swings back the Braves’ way in a playoff game, they ought to get beaucoup payback for that one, so just bank it and drive on.
Murph
October 9th, 2012
4:45 pm
Shaun, time to let go of the clutch conversation. The blog has moved on to infield flies and manager tirades.
Try to keep up.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
RC-
I guess Fredi’s screaming is my calm then….
Because I about came to blows with dozens of inanimate objects in my own house….
I stated what I would have done if you missed it yesterday
Hillbilly
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
and I wouldn’t have believed that such a notion would have even occurred to Braves’ fans.
Who would have thunk it? That many people willing to put their cell phones down simultaneously? 50,000 phone calls were put on hold in that one instant…a new record.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
I loved seeing the fans throw all that garbage on the field. If there gonna make garbage calls, and also watch garbage defensive play we might as well pitch in as well using the field as a garbage can. I would have thrown stuff If I was there, hell everyone else was doing it lol
cricket
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
Despite the loss, I stuck around ATL for a couple and hung out with some cousins I have down there, so it was still a good weekend.
just another business-like non-passionate typical Atlanta fan heard from (sorry, no smiley face – i’m still too upset)
CB
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
Murph,I agree no way they were going to change it. I would have liked to have seen a camera on Bobby in the crowd,probably kicking chairs and throwing beer cans.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:51 pm
You and me too on SALCEDO.
I’m guessing here that neither AHMED nor SALCEDO man a position in the first game of the season due to fielding.
Two years ago in spring training I watched Salcedo taking infield practice on one of the backfields at Disney. He missed something like 6 pop-ups in a row at one point. I don’t mean over the course of the practice. I mean the coach hit him one, he missed it, he hit him another, he missed it, and so on. I hadn’t seen anything like it since high school, and that was the kid the coach was picking on.
Then I noticed that Andrelton Simmons was taking infield practice on the other field. I saw no more of Salcedo that day….
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:53 pm
I seriously can’t wait to watch all the fly balls hit next season with 2 runners on and less than 2 outs. Every time it should be a Infield fly rule. Or that’s probably only for the Braves.
It’s not like the UMP made a borderline strike 3 call and then the fans went nuts. The UMP clearly screwed us on the infield fly call. Just mind blowing that this kind of mistake could happen.
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:53 pm
just another business-like non-passionate typical Atlanta fan heard from
Well, that sun coming up the next day, it just took all the despair right outta me, and I was forced to enjoy the company of family that I don’t see nearly often enough.
cricket
October 9th, 2012
4:54 pm
no way they were going to change it.
garbage throwing allowed time for protest to be filed and JoeT to take easy way out – so there’s that
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:54 pm
http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/10/8/3474036/a-rod-turns-in-slide-of-the-year
Tumbledown
October 9th, 2012
4:54 pm
Murph – You may as well get on me too because I have been discussing the clutch situation with Shaun. I would hope that such conversations can be continued even though new ones are brought up.
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:54 pm
If the Wheel Of Karma ever swings back the Braves’ way in a playoff game, they ought to get beaucoup payback for that one, so just bank it and drive on.
scoots, we would need to go 12-0 with a +100 run differential to make it even/steven.
And I’m not joking. Find me another team that has had the ball not bounce there way as much as it has for us in the playoffs for the last dozen or so appearances. It’s insane.
0-7 in our last 7 playoff series(including the coin flip) since beating the Astros in 2001.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:56 pm
garbage throwing allowed time for protest to be filed and JoeT to take easy way out – so there’s that
It also allowed time for Jason Motte to warm up, so, unfortunately, there’s also that.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:56 pm
MLB and Bud basically agree there will not be anymore bloop hits in that situation. Guess the only real way to avoid a Auto Out in the air would be to hit a home run.
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:57 pm
I hadn’t seen anything like it since high school, and that was the kid the coach was picking on.
Raw power and athleticism can only get you so far. Hopefully he starts to realize his potential. It probably isn’t in the infield and may have to be in an outfield corner. He’s going to take a while.
Tumbledown
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
Efrim – Do you think that Ted Turner made a deal with the devil to win that World Series in 1995? The Braves’ negative karma goes all the way back to Jim Bleepin Leyritz in 1996. Multiple teams have sealed their playoff win on Turner Field.
RC
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
It’s not like the UMP made a borderline strike 3 call and then the fans went nuts. The UMP clearly screwed us on the infield fly call. Just mind blowing that this kind of mistake could happen.
One more annoying thing about it (and then I’m going to do my best to not talk about it again):
If they don’t have the two extras “playoff umps” in the outfield, there is no way that call gets made.
The fact that the outfield ump called an infield fly is so ridiculous to start with….
Lew
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
Fredi should have pulled up third base, carried it out to where the ball landed and stuck it into the ground, jumped up and down on it a few times and showed them exactly how far from the infield it was.
Hey – it would make for an epic highlight reel.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
RC-
At the point he missed the first 3 I would’ve had to chime in and tell him to give me the damn glove so I could show him how to play defense…..
Its amazing how valued offense is because if the game were only predicated on defense, I would be a starting SS or 2B somewhere in the majors…..
The statement I always make about not being able to steal 1b…yeah, applies to me….couldn’t hit the breaking ball……
But seriously….6 popups in a row…..he’d get booted off the field by me at that point….either that or I’d start rocking line drives at his skull
ncscoots
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
we would need to go 12-0 with a +100 run differential to make it even/steven
Well, 11-0 would give them a ring, so that would be OK one year, no?
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
4:58 pm
Wonder if they will call the ole Outfield Fly rule against us next for old time sakes just to stick it to us?
cricket
October 9th, 2012
4:59 pm
i think there should be a moratorium on number of times clutch situation is discussed on this blog – as soon as this number exceeds the current national debt in dollars, no more clutch discussions will be allowed for a month
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
4:59 pm
Offseason Outlook: New York Mets
Johan Santana, SP: $31MM through 2013
Jason Bay, OF: $21.125MM through 2013
Over $50 million coming off of the books for Alderson and crew for 2014. Their plan will work, so long as Harvey and Wheeler stay healthy.
RC
October 9th, 2012
5:00 pm
But seriously….6 popups in a row…..he’d get booted off the field by me at that point….either that or I’d start rocking line drives at his skull
His coaches and teammates were a hell of a lot nicer than we were to the high school 2nd baseman.
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
5:01 pm
Lew
I would have paid money to just see that! You could bet Bobby wouldn’t have let something like this go without getting thrown out.
Murph
October 9th, 2012
5:01 pm
I would hope that such conversations can be continued even though new ones are brought up.
The clutch conversation in question has been on-going for months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months and months.
Braveheart
October 9th, 2012
5:03 pm
Andruw Jones made diving for balls look like ordinary effort. If I tried what Andruw made look routine, I’d have a broken nose, separated shoulder, bruised sternum and a twisted testicle.
RC
October 9th, 2012
5:03 pm
Their plan will work, so long as Harvey and Wheeler stay healthy.
So you are saying their plan has a 30% chance of working?
Nothing against Harvey or Wheeler….just TNSTAAPP, man.
cricket
October 9th, 2012
5:03 pm
call me jerk but i’m with Huddy -
“I don’t blame the fans for doing what they did and reacting the way they did. Show them some passion and let them know that they didn’t get the call right. That’s not something that I condone or the Atlanta Braves condone, but I was fired up to see everybody in the stadium just ticked off at what just happened. We were the same way and it’s something that, after a little while, I think it’s a little bit embarrassing, but at the same time one side of me was just happy to see our fans just backing us up and letting them know how they felt.”
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
5:03 pm
11-0 would give them a ring, so that would be OK one year, no?
Ah, yes. Forgot about the 5 game series.
1 extra just for good measure.
Trader Jack
October 9th, 2012
5:03 pm
cricket
October 9th, 2012
4:47 pm
Despite the loss, I stuck around ATL for a couple and hung out with some cousins I have down there, so it was still a good weekend.
just another business-like non-passionate typical Atlanta fan heard from (sorry, no smiley face – i’m still too upset)
It’s a little boys game, played by millionaires, working for billionaires. If you can keep it in that context, it will help you overcome your grief!
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
5:05 pm
Texans ILB Brian Cushing’s MRI revealed a torn ACL, and he is done for the season.
A crushing blow to that defense.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:05 pm
Lew-
I LIKE IT!
I never thought of anything like that….
Best I thought was having all 5 umps pull me off him w/o using fists and then clearing the dugout of all the equipment upon return to it with a bit of colorful language
Hillbilly
October 9th, 2012
5:05 pm
And I’m not joking. Find me another team that has had the ball not bounce there way as much as it has for us in the playoffs for the last dozen or so appearances. It’s insane.
Don’t remember which scoring play it was,…maybe Holliday’s homer…but the very pitch before, Medlen carved him up with a shoulda-been called strike 3, knee high on the corner called a ball. K-zone showed it plain as day.
And since I’m whining…
Posey.
Was.
Out.
Braveheart
October 9th, 2012
5:06 pm
It’s a little boys game, played by millionaires, working for billionaires. If you can keep it in that context, it will help you overcome your grief!
Great point, except that I make minimum wage, and I’m really angry about it. So I rant and rave about baseball so that I don’t go postal at work tomorrow.
Efrim
October 9th, 2012
5:07 pm
So you are saying their plan has a 30% chance of working?
If Harvey looks as good as he looked last season…and Wheeler can be what most people think he can be, they will be looking strong with Dickey and Niese there as well. And if Santana can pitch near his first half level last year – lots of good things for that rotation.
They just need an outfield and a bullpen.
abeeeewright
October 9th, 2012
5:07 pm
“I think walking out to where the ball landed, in a pacing-off gesture, might have done it.”
Those kinds of once-in-a-lifetime Manager rants that get them, not just tossed, but replayed over-and-over must result from some kind of dark inspiration. (Billy Martin has a number of such iconic moments.)
The moment prepared Fredi for it, but (IMHO) he wisely walked away from that particular place in history.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:07 pm
Trader Jack-
Glad to know as Carlin put it that the pussification of America continues
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
5:08 pm
lol
Hillbilly
October 9th, 2012
5:10 pm
Andruw Jones made diving for balls look like ordinary effort. If I tried what Andruw made look routine, I’d have a broken nose, separated shoulder, bruised sternum and a twisted testicle.
LMAO!
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:10 pm
Hillbilly-
Yes, it was Holliday….and I believe it was the 2 seamer
VaBravesFan
October 9th, 2012
5:10 pm
Well atleast Dan Uggla isn’t as bad as Jason Bay or Chone Figgins, YET.
Felix
October 9th, 2012
5:12 pm
FW: Hanson needs to get in shape, lose weight.
and…..get us more offense!!
CRM300
October 9th, 2012
5:12 pm
Have stayed away from this site since the game. Felt like a death in the family! Hard to believe that the best fielding team in baseball could choke away a game like that. Every season that ends like this makes me want to give up baseball forever. But, the closer to spring training I get, the more anxious I get for baseball season again. Been a Braves fan for many, many years. Been disappointed before. Sid Bream’s slide across home plate was a highlight of my life. So was Henry Aaron’s home run that put the Braves into the 1957 World Series. I will always be a Braves fan. Hope Frank Wren can tweak a good team into a great team during the off season. I will be watching on opening day!
cricket
October 9th, 2012
5:13 pm
It’s a little boys game, played by millionaires, working for billionaires. If you can keep it in that context, it will help you overcome your grief!
nuh huh
seriously tho, have you ever seen me ranting and raving here? considering the time over the years i’ve invested in this team and the way they went out, my amount of being pissed seems appropriate. that may reflect poorly on my quality of life but i promise it will improve as soon as i win the lottery..
Braveheart
October 9th, 2012
5:14 pm
I think walking out to where the ball landed, in a pacing-off gesture, might have done it.
I was more hoping for a Wellman grenade toss
Trader Jack
October 9th, 2012
5:14 pm
Major disappointment is one thing, but to rant and rave , over something you have no control over, makes no sense.
abeeeewright
October 9th, 2012
5:14 pm
Given how restrained Braves fans usually are (relative to some of the more volatile stadia in america), the bottle-throwing, game delay event is even more remarkable.
Kind of like a warm fuzzy bunny suddenly getting all up in your face.
dylan
October 9th, 2012
5:15 pm
first things first, thank you chipper for an amazing career, it has truly been a pleasure watching you for 19 years.
now, wren is crazy if he thinks replacing chipper (which can’t be done) and resigning bourne are all he has to do.
i’d say go after fowler if youcan’t resign bourne, or dangle one of our seemingly hundreds of sp prospects for a cf/leadoff guy.
definatly go hard for david wright, plays decent defense (don’t be fooled by those who say its amazing, it isn’t) plays hard, and is a 3 hole hitter. move prado back to second, BRING UP GATTIS, id say dangle hanson and uggla (after agreeing to eat half his salary) and try to work a trade for alex gordon.
then you get to go into the season looking like this
1.Fowler/Bourne (if by some miracle they resign him)
2. Prado
3.Wright
4.J-Hey
5.Fredi
6.mccan
7.gordon
8.simmons
9. P
our rotation should be quite solid with medlen,minor, beachy,huddy, and any of maholm/teheran/delgado and we’d stll have the best bullpen in the game
cricket
October 9th, 2012
5:18 pm
Andruw Jones made diving for balls look like ordinary effort. If I tried what Andruw made look routine, I’d have a broken nose, separated shoulder, bruised sternum and a twisted testicle.
but i thought belly-flops are designed to slow down the speed with which nose and testis hit the ground….
Choppinmama
October 9th, 2012
5:18 pm
BMac’s rocking a positively svelte physique in that clubhouse photo. Now…..just lose that beard……
CB
October 9th, 2012
5:19 pm
Seems players and fans were passionate, wish Fredi had done what Lew suggested.
Hillbilly
October 9th, 2012
5:19 pm
I was more hoping for a Wellman grenade toss
Would have taken a cut-off man to reach where the ball landed…or Fredi walking out, retrieving it, and throwing it a second time to reach that destination to prove his case…Now THAT would have been beyond epic.
Murph
October 9th, 2012
5:21 pm
Every season that ends like this makes me want to give up baseball forever.
When the game was over I talked to Mrs Murph and told her, no way do I want her spending any more of our money on Braves gear. No gifts of Braves shirts, hats, giant PEZ dispensers, coasters with infield dirt in them, action figures, foam tomahawks, etc. I told her I would not be renewing my MLB TV package next season.
The next day the 4 year old came downstairs wearing her Braves BP jersey, doing the chop, and all my angst just melted away.
I gave birth to another Braves fan. And win or lose, joy or disappointment, at least I have someone fun to suffer with.
Juan
October 9th, 2012
5:21 pm
Salcedo bases load Double 2 RBI…
Half Empty
October 9th, 2012
5:22 pm
all this crap about willingham and his career year is just that , crap. The guy has an 850 OPS for his entire career, that is the attraction, not his”career year”. Now that “career year” might make him too pricey at this point, but it is not the reason that folks want him, Yet another strawman….
O.M.G.
October 9th, 2012
5:23 pm
We lost fro three reasons:
1. errors.
2. infield fly rule mistake.
3. but even with 1 & 2 we still had chances. We RISP in the 7th, 8th, and 9th and could not get the big hit. We had 12 hits, but none when we needed them late.
cricket
October 9th, 2012
5:24 pm
Major disappointment is one thing, but to rant and rave , over something you have no control over, makes no sense.
if you are talking about me – since i’ve never ranted and raved here, or anywhere else for that matter, after the game, thanks for contributing to my list of people whose comments should be ignored for various reasons.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:26 pm
Efrim-
The Cubs fans around here and their 3 generations worth of heartbreak would disagree w/ you…..
That said, I had this convo w/ my friend who is a diehard Cub fan Sat. night as to try to decipher which is worse, them rarely ever making the playoffs OR the Braves and what happens when we do make it….
From the blower incident in Minnesota to Lonnie losing it in the lights to not playing the line and Charlie f-ing Leibrandt in both 91 and 92 to not getting the key run home in the NLCS in 93 w/ the runner on 3b and less than 2 outs to then the Leyritz/Wohlers I’m gonna blow 2 FB right by you and hang a slider in 96 to Erick Gregg and Livan f-ing Hernandez in 97, Sterling Hitchcock in 98, the drubbings in the 99 WS and 2000 NLDS to then having a chance to beat the Giants in 02 in the NLDS with the tying runs only bases and NO OUTS only for Sheffield to strike out and Chipper to hit into a DP to end the season, the waste of a 2003 season beating sent out AGAIN at Turner Field, the 05 18 inning display of despair, then 2010 and the Brooks Conrad bootings to go along w/ losing Wags in the middle of the series, and then the cherry on top, good ole 2012….
After going through all of that just now again, pains me that I can close my eyes and see every single bit of it like a life flashing before someone’s eyes….
The Horror….
cricket
October 9th, 2012
5:27 pm
We RISP in the 7th, 8th, and 9th and could not get the big hit. We had 12 hits, but none when we needed them late.
real smart fans will off course deride me, but i really feel like changing my moniker to something like “RBIs win Baseball Games”…
Teddy B
October 9th, 2012
5:27 pm
I was reading and enjoying the article until that very last question….Hanson. This just shows me that nobody on the Braves can see that he is washed up, he will be pitching- and losing- again next year. One step forward and two steps back. He only won the games he did win with mammoth run support. His velocity is way down from just 2-3 years ago. Something is wrong, and Wren turns a blind eye to the problem just like Fredi.
If we don’t learn from history we’re doomed to repeat it. Dump Red and let Teheran/Delgado slug it out for his spot in the rotation please.
Half Empty
October 9th, 2012
5:28 pm
Great point, except that I make minimum wage, and I’m really angry about it. So I rant and rave about baseball so that I don’t go postal at work tomorrow…BH
how can a barrister make minimum wage?
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:29 pm
Murph-
You gave birth…..
Hmm….how exactly did that one go? —- Was it quite like Arnold in Junior?
CB
October 9th, 2012
5:29 pm
Dang,P-town, I forgot what I ate for breakfast this morning.
Teddy B
October 9th, 2012
5:31 pm
I can’t wait for spring training! What I’m most interested in for next season, aside from who we sign and what happens with Bourn, is if Jason Heyward can keep getting better. I really enjoy watching the guy play ball he’s a super star in the making. Hope next year he can get back to the All-Star game and keep doing better, he’s off to a great start for his young career. Wren better buy out his arbitration years or we may run into financial trouble later on and fail to keep him around, which would be such a shame seeing as how he’s the local kid stud.
P-Town Brave ©
October 9th, 2012
5:31 pm
CB-
Yeah, frankly if they still have the MLB video clips, they could do a Top 20 on Braves postseason failure plays…..
VERY sad
Half Empty
October 9th, 2012
5:31 pm
I bet you wife appreciated you stepping up and relieving her of that 9 month ordeal, Murpd
O.M.G.
October 9th, 2012
5:33 pm
Maybe Murph is part of a Modern Family.
Hillbilly
October 9th, 2012
5:33 pm
P-Town,
Hrbek. Kent Fluffin’ Hrbek.