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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6,746 comments Add your comment
Astral
October 14th, 2012
5:40 am
I honestly can’t believe much of the stuff I read when I come by here. Amazing, and totally depressing to think there are actual living people who think like that.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:02 am
Apparently astral’s comment said it all and everyone left.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:11 am
Go Giants.
Though I have to admit that the Cards are one gritty team.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:12 am
Angel Pagan would be a decent pickup to play cf & of a good price.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:14 am
Angel pagan seems to be a decent pickup for the price for CF.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:17 am
Pagan may well be a Braves’ target.
richbrave
October 14th, 2012
10:19 am
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
MEXICO
HERMOSILLO ORANGES
OF TODD CUNNINGHAM goes one for two with a HR and RBI in his first Mexican League game.
VENEZUELA
CARACAS LIONS
RF JOSH KROEGER [.300 BA] 1-3, 1 BB, 1 SB [1].
ZULIA EAGLES
1B ERNESTO MEJIA [.286 BA] 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR [1], 3 RBI [5], 2 SO..
DH EVAN ‘Big Jim’ GATTIS [.308 BA] 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B [3], 1 RBI [2], 2 SO.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
10:20 am
From MLBTR
Rays pitcher James Shields has a $9MM option for this year and will likely be unaffordable for the club after that. It seems likely that Tampa Bay will finally bite the bullet and trade pitching to get the offense that they need. One National League GM suggested that the Rangers would be a good partner as they could offer Elvis Andrus and someone else for Shields. Some baseball officials also haven’t ruled out the Rays moving David Price to fill a couple of positions.
Doesn’t really describe the Braves, if Frank were to be interested.
The Red Sox are trying to work out a multiyear deal with Cody Ross, but he’ll have a strong market if he chooses to wait. The Braves could potentially be major players for Ross as they offered him a two-year deal last year. Ross wouldn’t mind a Western team either and the Giants may have interest if they move on from Melky Cabrera.
He needs to wait. I’d give him 2-3 years at 7-8mil each, w/ an extra option year.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
10:21 am
Cunningham appears to be ready to handle CF
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
10:23 am
Yankee stadium wasn’t sold out last night, for shame. Still waiting on the national media to bring a little truth to the myth that Atlanta is the only place to have playoff games not be sold out. We were not the first to not have playoff games sellout and certainly aren’t the last, yet they act like we are the only city to do it. Even an article on yahoo references the braves when referring to yankees attendance. A little research never hurt anyone.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:23 am
OF TODD CUNNINGHAM goes one for two with a HR and RBI in his first Mexican League game.
Olé!
Hugh Jass
October 14th, 2012
10:24 am
Who in the Braves lineup is going to strike fear in pitchers next year to the point that it changes their pitching strategy against them?
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:25 am
Cunningham appears to be ready to handle CF
A future Braves’ great (okay, good). You read it here first.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:26 am
richbrave – How is your wife doing?
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:30 am
Jake W. – I seem to remember that in the 92 LCS (Sid Slid series) that the Pirates weren’t selling out their games, yet the Penguins did on the same day.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:30 am
My bad, punching in the same sentence w/re-arrangement of words tells on me how my brain gets disfunctional.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:31 am
Yankee stadium wasn’t sold out last night, for shame. Still waiting on the national media to bring a little truth to the myth that Atlanta is the only place to have playoff games not be sold out.
You want to see attendance drop-offs? If MLB keeps expanding the post season, we’ll be watching the World Series while eating our turkeys and trimmings.
Maybe MLB can pull an NFL and put the series at a stadium in warmer climes or under a dome.
The Boys of Summer, huh?
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:32 am
The Boys of Close To Winter?
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:33 am
richbrave, man o’ man, good to read the digs on the fall league & what the farmhands are doin’.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:35 am
The Boys of Close To Winter?
Yes. Lew, you well appreciate how the weather turns in the northeast and New England as we push into October. It’s not baseball weather then.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:35 am
Good point Jeff R.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
10:40 am
That’s the ironic part Lew. Pittsburgh is considered one of the greatest if not the greatest overall sports cities in the country yet it is a fact that they didn’t sellout all their playoff games and even with the gap between them making the playoffs they are still a more succesful franchise than the braves. I was pretty young back then but with just a little research I was able to find it out. Atlanta fans are more average than they are horrible. You would never know it by the media portrayal. Oakland’s attendance sucked all year but when fans finally show up they are some of the greatest. Had that been Atlanta great never would have been mentioned. Don’t get it but it is what is.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:42 am
All right, here’s my never going to happen solution to ensuring that we’re not having to wait for Boston’s ground crew to clear snow before a future World Series game in Beantown. Two simple moves:
1. Return the regular season to 154 games.
2. Bring back the doubleheader as a routine feature of the regular season.
If revenue is a concern with doubling up, split the doubles: a day game followed by a night game. Play enough doubleheaders to compress the season to a mid April start and a late September finish (say, second to third week).
Won’t ever happen unless owners thought that revenues would stay up or increase.
But I can pretend.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:44 am
Well, keep in mind that Pittsburgh is a blue-collar town. Football and hockey still dominate, though the metro area isn’t quite as blue-collar as it was years ago.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:44 am
I get all stirred up about potential deals, about what or who to go after, & that’s alot of fun, I love play’n armchair assistant General manager, kinda hope’n if frank would pass by here from time to time to hear what fans have to say, see if he might find a nugget or two that might suit his fancy. NAH! NAH! NAH! An ordinary joe like me couldn’t come close. But…… It’s fun to be an assistant to the General manager in my own mind.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
10:47 am
Dish Network, my idiot TV provider, has not made up with AMC, which means I won’t get to watch The Walking Dead tonight. That pi$$es me off to no end, I am still mad at them for making me miss the last month of Brave’s games in 2010.
I hope I can find some zombies on the world wide interweb tonight. (As opposed to the zombies I deal with here most every night)
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
10:51 am
Jeff R then what is Atlanta? Do people know that southeast historically has been the poorest region in the country and where do the braves draw from? All things should be taken into consideration, just like blue collar Pittsburgh.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:51 am
Dish Network… switch to FIOS (this is not a paid advertisement).
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:54 am
Jeff R – Now I’m a bit further north than most (about 1.5 hrs. south of Canada), but we’ve already hit temps in the 20′2 and there is snow at the ski resorts – you could look at the mountain in the distance and see the trails at the Killington resort yesterday.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
10:55 am
Temps in the 20’s – maybe I’ll learn to type accurately before it turn 70 – but am not counting on it.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
10:57 am
Jeff R: I have never heard of that and I’ve had Verizon for a couple of years, so maybe it’s not offered in the ATL area. I would definitely be interested if it were, except for that $300 I would be forced to pay Dish to get out of the contract…I feel like I’m in jail with them.
Thanks for the tip, I will look for that service.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:58 am
Jake W. (The original), t’wasn’t making an Atlanta-Pittsburgh comparison. Just observing, per Lew’s post, that if the Pirates and the Penguins are playing on the same day, likely advantage to the Penguins, though filling twenty-thousand seats – thereabouts – isn’t quite as hard as filling 45,000 seats.
I guess you can say outside of Atlanta metro there’s lower incomes and rural poverty. But Atlanta is what now? 3 million plus souls? That’s about a million more than Pittsburgh metro (if Google is correct) and Atlanta has typically done better than the rust bucket cities economically.
Just observations.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
10:58 am
Oh the day’s of shagrin, the past times, catching on as a fan in the 70’s, the old uni’s, which is what I thought was cool while growing up as a kid, the jerseys w/red,white,blue colored feather on the sleeves, was a fashion that caught my attention to the Bravos. I own a few duplicates of the hats, the royal blue, w/ white,w/small red,white, blue, “a”, kinda enjoy see’n them from time to time.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:00 am
There would be a lot of push back on the 154 game season (they lose about a quarter million in attendance for most teams) AND the double headers (Managers hate them vecause they screw up their rotation and players hate them because it’s tough playing two on a 98 degree day). Hell, even fans hate them cause they’d likely be day/night dh’s and they wouldn’t get to see two for one.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:00 am
kenhotlanta,
I’m not living in Atlanta any longer
, so I can’t say. But FIOS is a Verizon service. I do have both. I’m generally pleased.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:00 am
Lew: I’m still taking tests, we have eliminated nerve or muscle damage and issues…the neurologist was very happy for those results.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:01 am
Lew, winter comes fast that far north in New England.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:03 am
Lew, that’s why I said never going to happen (well, from a revenue angle).
So when ball games are being played deep into November, break out the hot buttered rum and hot chocolate – it’s football – err, baseball – weather!
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:05 am
@kenhotlanta; Dang, so dish is still at odds w/AMC, I’ve talked w/reps a few times, told them they need to get there act together, I bet there losing alot of customers due to fact there’s alot of “Walking Dead” fans. I’m a big fan. I’m also a dish customer, may not be much sooner.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:06 am
Walking Dead is a really, really good show. I got hooked on it last season.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:07 am
@Jeff R; Thanks also for the tip. I wasn’t payin’ attention earlier.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:08 am
ken – well, I suppose it’s good that they’ve ruled those out. All you can do is to keep trying to see what it might be.
I had a flare up of my toe infection this week – it turned deep purple and swelled to twice it’s size. The osteomyelitus is back in the bone. Might lose a part of it if we can’t get it under control.
And speaking of Deep Purple (how’s THAT for a segue?) Bout time they got nominated for the Rock and Roll HOF. I always wondered how ABBA was inducted and they weren’t cause of course when you think of a rock anthem, Dancing Queen is always mentioned before Smoke on the Water.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:09 am
74bravesjersey, you’re welcome.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:10 am
ken – Are you taking Lipitor? Could be stain induced myopathy.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:10 am
Yeah; & it kinda say’s somethin’ since they shot it here around the outskirts of the ATL. I’ve been try’n to recognize different areas, in the scenes. Ya’ll say it’s coming on tonight?
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:10 am
Statin, not stain. Sheesh, I can’t type.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
11:12 am
Jeff R, Atlanta had a boom in the 90’s as a lot of places have but the economy has not been strong here for years. There was a study released earlier this year that more people in georgia live check to check than any other state. The city itself has a very small population so I always refer more to the stats of the state and region. Its affordability is its biggest positive but that doesn’ t mean that the majority of the people are more well off than rust belt cities. Don’t know the exact numbers so I won’t say it as fact but while there definitely is an enclave of people in the metro who are well off can’t say for a fact that it puts the entire area in a better financial situation than cities like pittsburgh. Like I said the facts speak for themself we were and still are the poorest region in the country.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:12 am
New season of Walking Dead starts tonight. Check your local listings.
Carl Farvman
October 14th, 2012
11:14 am
“Who in the Braves lineup is going to strike fear in pitchers next year to the point that it changes their pitching strategy against them?”
The answer is the Braves don’t have this kind of roster. And throwing money and prospects at a couple aging stars won’t change it. Put the Braves in the Cards spot the other night and you have 3 guys coming up in the ninth trying to hit the ball out of the park…no sense for situational hitting at all. Some of the Cards biggest hitters worked walks that game that eventually led to an epic comeback. Hard to teach this…..management has to recognize this and seekout these kinds of ballplayers.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:15 am
Lew: Finally on Deep Purple! But did you see Blackmore was quoted as saying he had “no interest at all in participating”? Why does he have to be such an jerk? (my original version of this is “awaiting moderation”…give me a break!)
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:18 am
Jake W. (The original),
Well, the economy is bad just about everywhere (except Washington DC Metro, where our tax dollars keep the denizens comfy).
My sister-in-law was a longtime exec with an Atlanta residential and commercial developer. When the Atlanta housing market burst, her division went bye-bye. So I know well that Atlanta has had it’s struggles.
I’m from Atlanta. Even in all my years there, I never thought of Atlanta as a baseball town, whatever the attendance figures. I really never saw Atlanta as a pro football town. The Dogs, and to a lesser extent the Yellow Jackets, owned Atlanta.
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
11:19 am
A little Sunday morning mellow tuneage from a hugely talented young singer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wgj6vJDfjY&feature=relmfu
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:20 am
Lew: No Lipitor, I take another statin, but have stopped it on my own as the neurologist mentioned that as a very real possibility for my problems. We still haven’t got the bloodwork, should be this week.
Carl Farvman
October 14th, 2012
11:21 am
After “Wainro” got hit for 6 runs, he and Carpenter spent the rest of the game in the dugout on the top steps rooting their teammates on and reminding them that something special will happen if they believe it. Carpenter spoke after the game that veteran leadership is critical to help keep the heads of the younger playersand those who haven’t been subjected to that pressure screwed on straight. Hard to find these kinds of guys and get them in the same dugout. Doesn’t happen very often. Contrast this approach to arm chair GMs buying 34 year olds with solid stats. Weird stuff.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:23 am
ken – Blackmore is a great guitarist, but a totall ass – always has been. Have you see the YouTube vidoe where – at the end of the origianl Markll Lineup, he refused to come on stage and onlky showed up when it was time to do his solo and then threw a cup of water in Gillan’s face (or vice versa – they hate each other)?
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:24 am
Still – I’ve seen DP with Steve Morse and they’re still very good.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:24 am
The new Rolling Stones song proves you are never too old to Rock and Roll. I didn’t think the boys still had it in them, but I was blown away.
All that “friction” between Mick and Keith is prolly PR bs, although they did blast each other in their respective books.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:28 am
Michael Kiwanuka : I’m Getting Ready… really nice.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 14th, 2012
11:29 am
Blackmore is indeed a long-time jerk, but I share his disdain for the rock and roll hall of fame, and can’t blame him for not showing up. Purp has been eligible for about two decades, but get in after (take your pick of stupid inductees). Why care about this crap?
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:29 am
@Carl Farvman; I’m with you, the Cards have great plate discipline, working the count’, not giving in to the pitcher, not getting suckered into flail’n at bad pitches. Prado, & at times freeman show this approach, I know everyone would get fooled from time to time & strike out, but they didn’t have to go up striking out bat after bat. Be a tough out w/ 2 strikes, keep battlin’ the pitcher, until you get you’re pitch. Believe it or not, Jayson werths walk off was prime example of not giving in after 12 pitches. Having an approach is key. Mr. Chow say you don’t have to be clueless abot strikezone, protect it! I’m with you, find good discipline hitters who know the strikezone & are clutch.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
11:30 am
Jeff R you keep refering to Atlanta when the braves are just as much regional as they are “Atlanta’s”. Atlanta is so transient that its hard, just like Florida, to get a grasp and how the actual Atlantans feel about the teams. From what I see it seems like people who are really from here actually care about the teams, its just hard to find the natives. So we draw as many people from the surrounding areas and states so to me its more helpful to look at what’s going on with them financially as well. I get the economy has been rough everywhere but it also has hit some places harder than others.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:32 am
Lew, yes I heard about that incident. I saw them with Savoy Brown in ‘74 (the Boogie Brothers edition of Savoy Brown that usually blew Purple off stage every night and I verified that with Kim Simmonds himself). Anyway, midway through the set, Blackmore got mad about the sound or something and stormed off stage for a few minutes, as I remember…you may have been at that show at the Omni, too.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
11:34 am
Atlanta is so transient that its hard, just like Florida, to get a grasp and how the actual Atlantans feel about the teams. From what I see it seems like people who are really from here actually care about the teams, its just hard to find the natives.
I agree with you on this…
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:35 am
Hugo – I agree with his perception of the R&R HOF (at least they finally nominated Heart, DP and Rush this year), but this is part of his vendetta against Gillan – he’s said he will never play with Deep Purple ever again – even outside the HOF.
kenhotlanta
October 14th, 2012
11:36 am
The thing is, Ritchie Blackmore is my alltime favorite guitar player just to sit and watch play in a band. And I haven’t seen him play in prolly 30 years.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:39 am
Clutch hitting & disciplined plate coverage are a premium, players w/ this quality are rare & unique, but Frank & his staff need to sniff out & trail for these kind of players. All these .220,.190 batting avg’s in the lineup make a team crumble. Cannot knock in RISP this way. I do believe Walk & Fletch tried to drive this home to the boys. Be a Disciplined Hitter, w/ 2 strikes.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
11:40 am
ken – I first saw them at The Omni on my b’day in 73 (ZZ Top opened the show) and the in essense did the Made in Japan show, even though newer material had been released (Who Do We Think WE Are) and they played none of it.
Also saw them at The MIami Jai Alai fronton with Tommy Bolin in late 75 or early 76 – right before Bolin OD and again in 2001 with Morse at the HOB in Orlando (where Kamelot played last night).
Never saw one of the few gigs they played with Joe Satriani after Blackmore split midway through the Battle Rages On (appropriate title) tour in the 90’s.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
11:41 am
Todd Cunningham is probably the worst case scenario for CF, his ceiling to me atleast is a fringy 4th/5th OFer type.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
11:45 am
Not really a Cody Ross believer either. Still would be a solid pickup, but to view him as that RH Power hitter for LF seems silly to me. His track record isn’t very consistent. He’s gonna be looking for a contract similar to what Michael Cuddyer signed for. 3 years 30 million or so.
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
11:46 am
Jeff R: That Brit is one soulful dude. So much Otis Redding in his voice. I saw it described as Otis by way of Nick Drake, which was pretty much right on the money.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
11:48 am
I honestly believe the braves have a good chance of winning the division. The nats are good but even with the injuries they had a lot of stuff go their way this year. We need to add a few vets to the outfield and just allow our young talent to continue to learn and mature. I know some want a top of the rotation starter but realistically we can’t afford that. A really good pen, a lineup that still hasn’t reached its full potential(mainly Uggla) and a solid if not great rotation. Think if a couple of things break our way we could definitely win the division.
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
11:49 am
Todd Cunningham is probably the worst case scenario for CF, his ceiling to me atleast is a fringy 4th/5th OFer type. — VaBravesFan
Not for 2012. Not necessary to push him and go with a rookie with no experience in CF. Braves aren’t going to do that. They have the money and/or trade pieces to avoid that, and will. The plan is to get a CF who is also a leadoff hitter. If not Bourn — and that seems unlikely — then another proven player.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
11:52 am
DOB
Denard Span fits the bill. Contract fits our budget, Good Defender in CF, Lead off man as well.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
11:52 am
I think the Brass needs to do some homework, study the Cardinal Organization, & sure other organizations, not the ones that have the funds, like the yankees, tigers, phillies etc… but learn from other teams w/ limited resources, Somebody correct me on this, where are the Cardinals w/ their payroll compared to the Braves? Grant it, the Braves have done well w/ what limited resources thie allowed to have, winning 94′ games isn’t slouchy, just what pieces(players) that could fit the mould in the lineup, roster that are tough outs, w/2 strikes, make clutch hitting the norm. The Tigers as a team hit .380 somethin w/RISP, but they spent alot of money to have their team.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
11:56 am
Boy if not for a 3 error game and the introduction of the outfield fly our bullpen could be cleaning up in the playoffs. Kimbrel had an unreal year, just a shame we couldn’t go further and watch this guy continue to dominate. Watching some of these playoff bullpens just drives home how good we had it.
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
12:00 pm
I think the Brass needs to do some homework, study the Cardinal Organization, & sure other organizations, not the ones that have the funds, like the yankees, tigers, phillies etc… but learn from other teams w/ limited resources, Somebody correct me on this, where are the Cardinals w/ their payroll compared to the Braves? — 74bravesjersey
Cardinals Opening Day payroll was $110 million, about $18 million above the Braves’ payroll.
They passed on overpaying for Albert Pujols, by the way. Because they’re smart. Take note, those who suggest the Braves should pursue Josh Hamilton (17 months younger than Pujols).
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
12:01 pm
VaBravesFan: Agreed, Span is another who would fit the Braves’ CF/leadoff need.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
12:02 pm
To me it really seems like we’ll end up signing 1 player to fill a need, and trading for the other need for a player who fits our budget better. Remember we still gotta get David Ross and hopefully Reed Johnson resigned, which is gonna cost around 4 million total roughly. To begin with we have roughly around 20-24 million or so to work with, and with so many starting pitching options you can bet Wren will be seeing what he can get for 1 or 2 of them. If he was willing to trade Randall Delgado for 2 months of Dempster, you can bet that there’s a great chance he’s dealt this offseason.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
12:04 pm
74braves, in general the braves compete in a tougher division than the cards. If not for the stros and the cubs the cards may have missed the playoffs this year. They have taken full advantage of the mistakes every other team has made. They are a good team, but you have to admit that a fair amount of luck has gone their way. We are in a good position, just a horrible month and one horrible game have done us in the last two seasons. That’s not all the fault of the brass but also just the talent not doing there part.
Woody Woodward
October 14th, 2012
12:08 pm
With all due respect, gotta disagree with the Otis Redding comparison. There’s a spareness there reminiscent of bill withers, along with the tone at the end of phrases. Lacks the gritty texture of reddings voice. Throw in a touch of bob marley, too. Liked it!
klaus
October 14th, 2012
12:13 pm
I don’t think it would ever be a good idea to trade a top pitching prospect for a 34-35 yo player like Willingham. Buy high & pray kind of move IMHO for what was deemed a platoon player up until his time in MN.
About as risky as trading a fire ball closer/starter prospect in Viz for a rental of Reed Johnson and BoR Maholm – just bc he was on a mini hot streak. Tehy did zippo to change our fortunes in the end.
Or the “thank christ it was never made” trade of Delgado for old as dirt Dempster. I wonder if Wren gets extended if Dempster accepted that deal and then he proceed to face plant for ATL like he did in Texas?
Sorry I don’t see Wren’s logic as being better than JS at the end. Uggla, Lowe, KK were huge mistakes. Viz trade to the Cubs will come back to haunt him as would the defunct Delgado for Dempster trade.
Trading a Delgado or Julio T for Willingham would be right up there with the bad moves above.
Wren can earn his next extension if he stops the JS-ish win now folly – tossing away young talent for geezers who may add 1-2 games to the win pile.
He needs to step back and realize losing Chipper and not getting Beachy back until late July is going to make 2013 a coin toss. The rotation could be massively suspect barring a Greinke deal (not happening) so it may be wiser to step back and regroup.
Consider trading Hanson, Mac and Uggla for ML ready talent or prospects. Look hard at BJ Upton and or two-three team deals to get a OF/3B with real pop and long term upside.
As an aside – Pagan is a decoy. I live in NY and he as nothing special for the Mets. He had a great year in SF relatively speaking but he was not a force hitting in the NL East.
Bottom line – No one would be shocked if the team took a few steps back after losing a legend. Take advantage of that reality and retool in 2013 versus tweak.
In 2013 the rotation will be a WIP due to injury recoveries, aging ace (Hudson) and not really knowing what you have in Medlen. A guy who has never pitched a full season as a MLB starter. Let’s see what he can do over a full season before we pencil him in as a 22 game winner.
Lastly, trading Mac would be tough however neither he nor the Braves have capitalized on his prime playing years & his best stats. Now he is breaking down and put together two seasons of up & mostly down baseball.
Move him now so he can get one more huge payday and a shot a ring/longer career in the AL.
Focus on defense behind the plate and power in the OF and 3B with Prado stapled at 2B for years.
Wren can make his mark or he can hide behind 90-92mm not being enough money and make bargain tweak trades and signings hoping to catch lightening in a bottle.
Nowhere man
October 14th, 2012
12:14 pm
The new Stones song is good stuff. I am sure a lot of what Mick and Keith said was to move their books.
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
12:18 pm
DOB, Kiwanuka – very soulful. Also listened to his “Tell Me A Tale.” Big jazz influence in that song. Really super. Thanks for the refer. I’ll be listening to him now.
Nowhere man
October 14th, 2012
12:18 pm
Why would you pick up Mac’s option then trade him? Mac will be back next year. A healthy season will make all the dfference.
Uggla is not going anywhere.
George_George
October 14th, 2012
12:19 pm
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
10:23 am
The last three playoff games at YANKEE STADIUM have not been sellouts. On another note the one YANKEE that I do like broke his ankle last night. That is a shame, he is a great player and team leader.
Nowhere man
October 14th, 2012
12:20 pm
Klaus if you were GM of another team would you take Hanson and Uggla?
Nowhere man
October 14th, 2012
12:21 pm
Bad news about Jeter he is a true champion.
Webster
October 14th, 2012
12:22 pm
If FW were to get Spahn and Glen Perkins from the Twins for Teheran/Delgado +??, would anyone trade EOF for Trumbo?
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
12:25 pm
Unfortunate about Jeter, but if the Yanks loose to the Tigers, betcha they blame it on Jeter’s absence from the lineup.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
12:27 pm
When figuring out the money this is a very possible situation.
Braves have around 24 million or so to work with. After ARB and options are taken.
Rough estimates and predictions.
Resign David Ross 2 million
Resign Reed Johnson 1.75 million
Sign Cody Ross 3 years 31 million (10.33 mil in 2013)
Trade for Denard Span who is owed 4.75 in 2013
Those moves cost in money a total of roughly 19 million. And to note we have roughly 20 to 24 million and also Wren likes to have a little money for mid season moves. Plus we don’t know who would be going to the Twins for the trade which could change the money alot if for example Tommy Hanson is involved his is estimated have around a 3 million salary in 2013.
VaBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
12:29 pm
I’m not saying that is what I’d like to see happen but what I see as very possible happening.
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
12:29 pm
@DOB; Thanks for the info. & I agree, we don’t need to put all the chips into one bag, & plus the cards have a very strong farm, I’m hope’n that they’ll do what it takes for hitter’s in the lineup aggresively smart in their approach at the plate, be tough outs, good 2 strike hitters. I’m sure it’s been our hitting coach’s (Walker Fletcher, like the name lol)message, just wonder’n if it sinks in to some of the hitter’s.
Woody Woodward
October 14th, 2012
12:30 pm
Seems tigers Achilles is that bullpen. Super starting pitching. That Fister pitched a helluva game.
Been away from the blog, and maybe it’s a little pathetic to say this, but dang this years loss was tough to swallow. I really thought we were going deep. Still think we had the best pitching of any team in the playoffs. Dang….
George_George
October 14th, 2012
12:31 pm
Jeff R
October 14th, 2012
10:31 am
Yankee stadium wasn’t sold out last night, for shame. Still waiting on the national media to bring a little truth to the myth that Atlanta is the only place to have playoff games not be sold out.
You want to see attendance drop-offs? If MLB keeps expanding the post season, we’ll be watching the World Series while eating our turkeys and trimmings.
Maybe MLB can pull an NFL and put the series at a stadium in warmer climes or under a dome.
The Boys of Summer, huh?
***************************
Hope MLB playoffs do not became like the NBA where sub .500 teams get in and fans that support teams should get to see all thier teams playoff games. PLEASE NO NUTERAL SITES. I think even in NFL SUPER BOWL should be played in city of team that has the best record, just as WS home advantage should GET RID OF SILLY ALL-STAR GAME determining it.
Jake W. (The original)
October 14th, 2012
12:35 pm
Woody just a shame to have a 162 game season come down to one game. This game is about series. This wasn’t some tiebreaker scenerio. MLB really got it wrong with the one game wildcard game, and maybe when a more important team get screwed by it they will change it. Doesn’t even feel like we made the playoffs.
Nowhere man
October 14th, 2012
12:37 pm
If you haven’t read Mark Bradley’s column about the playoffs you should. In regards to the NBA, even with all the teams in the team with the best record wins it all a lot more often than in MLB since the WC has been added.
Lew
October 14th, 2012
12:38 pm
If Ross turned down a multi year offer last winter from the Braves and chose, instead, to ign a one year deal with Boston, why would he accept one this year?
Woody Woodward
October 14th, 2012
12:39 pm
Agree jake. Gotta think that most baseball fans think a one game playoff smells more like football than baseball. Maybe they ought to go to two large divisions in each league and take the two winners and then the two best records, regardless of division. Agree with the 154. Course nothing like it will ever happen. They’ll keep tweaking this system…
74bravesjersey
October 14th, 2012
12:40 pm
Jake W.(The Original); Very much agree, & good points, I’m hopeing we can fill the Roster w/ some clutch players, even off the Bench, as well impactive guys in the lineup, w/ everybody key word – Disciplined Hitter’s in the lineup. Prado may have the best discipline w/ 2 strikes, Freeman from time to time, I would like J-hey, andrelton, & wishe’d super muscle( even though he led in walks as well as strikeouts-Go figure) would discipline himself, we wouldn’t recognize him up at bat. Reed Johnson battles up there as well, tough umbre’. Need a few more tough outs.
DS1
October 14th, 2012
12:44 pm
Jake
Don’t you think that Nolan Ryan is going to raise that issue this winter?
Darn shame about Jeter last night. I pull against the Yankees, but I have a lot of respect and admiration for Derek Jeter.