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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6,463 comments Add your comment
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:21 pm
You could time his bat-speed with a sundial last year.
Close your eyes and swing early… worked for Uggla, at least in September.
Mixxo
October 26th, 2012
12:21 pm
“Brian McCann had made himself into a defensive liability BEFORE he hurt his shoulder. He’s pitifully, horribly slow. He wasn’t throwing anyone out BEFORE hurting his shoulder. He hasn’t kept himself in reasonable shape for any length of time in YEARS. Just because he hit at a pretty good clip for a FEW years, is no reason for some of you to act like we’ve been watching Johnny Bench for the past 7 years or whatever. For about 4-5 yrs, it would have been a toss-up with me on who my favorite player was: Chipper or Mac. But since then, McCann has done very little to instill confidence that he will be able to bounce back from this and be a premier (hitting at least) catcher again. Nobody on this blog even seems willing to address the eye-sight issues he obviously suffers from now that have clearly gotten worse over this same period of time as well. He squints constantly, has been unsuccessful getting a pair of glasses or contacts that have solved the situation and has talked having eye surgery on more than one occassion. If Mac had kept himself in great shape and still suffered through these injuries, myself and a lot of other detractors might be willing to cut him more slack, but when you’re forced to watch a 28 yr old MLB player run slower than my Dad, it starts to get to you, and then he starts having injury trouble which is OBVIOUSLY as a result of his poor conditioning. Let’s call a spade a spade here. Mac has declined in the latter half of the season for more like 3 yrs now due to his poor conditioning, and you guys think WE’RE the crazy ones for thinking it’s time to let him go? Enough with the “heart” BS and “great clubhouse guy” horse S H I T. That stuff is why you bring back a Diaz type player (I’m not saying I want to see Diaz back, just example) whom you’re not paying all that much money, but his presence seems to help the club. You don’t pay a player on the decline the most money on the team simply because he’s a good guy…” – Braves Fan Since 80’s
Thank You and well said!
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:22 pm
Biff CF Prado 3rd Gattis LF
Well, at least Schuerholz can get an early start composing his end-of-season letter to the fanbase, LOL.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
12:22 pm
The only one anybody should feel reasonably comfortable about is Prado at 3rd. You might as well throw all the names in a hat and pull out two for center and left.
Gone Viral
October 26th, 2012
12:23 pm
“its because our team struggles against LHP, and our biggest hitters are LH. Cody Ross hits lefties like hes an MVP candidate.”
The problem is that in fixing one issue, another is created. He has a career OPS of .727 against righties. Career OBP against them is .312. Most pitchers are right-handed. $7-$9 million a year is a lot to pay a platoon outfielder.
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
12:24 pm
TheOnlyBravesFan, I’m looking at what Ross has shown he is over the long haul. He seems like a solid player but I’m not sure he’s a full-time answer that is going to provide a lot of offense.
It will be interesting if they do something out of the box, like a Gattis/Ross platoon. Then they could go after a stud in center or elsewhere. Maybe even a Greinke. hmmm….
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:24 pm
Anyone in the least bit suspicious of why Headley suddenly broke out with the HR this season?
2008: 9
2009: 12
2010: 11
2011: 4
2012: 31
Hope he isn’t on the Melky Cabrera training regimen.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:25 pm
You could time his bat-speed with a sundial last year.
I know. But he still offers value in defense and baserunning and can take a walk. It is a long swing, so if the bat speed is gone – he’s screwed. Only for a two year deal, which may be possible given how bad his 2012 was and how flush the market is with outfielders.
I really don’t want to forfeit a pick. I get it. “Gotta be all in at this point”. Fine with me. Trade the glut of starters we have and still focus on building the lower levels of the farm that were absolutely ignored 2009-2011.
CB
October 26th, 2012
12:25 pm
Bat,if that comes true will you turn the lights out?
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
12:26 pm
Nevermind on my 12:24. I was thinking Gattis was a left-handed hitter, for some reason.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:27 pm
You might as well throw all the names in a hat and pull out two for center and left.
Hugo, I think we’re pretty much doing that.
Frank has to help us out a little, here. Do something that at least gives the slavering, slobbering hordes a morsel to chew while deciding what else the man ought to do. Give us a little direction.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:28 pm
The Josh Hamilton to Milwaukee rumors continue.
Where is that guy gonna sign? Probably the biggest question mark of any free agent we’ve had in recent years. Could honestly be any team that has available funds – and there are many of em.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:29 pm
I really wonder what Frank Wren’s definition of a premium player is?
Too me, Cody Ross and Angel Pagan are not premium players, hell I’m on the fence with even Josh Willingham as well mainly due to age and injury concerns. Might be productive but could easily miss 40 games.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:30 pm
The Josh Hamilton to Milwaukee rumors continue.
Put him in that lineup, pick two lefties from the stands to pitch, and start rolling.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:31 pm
Sure will, CB.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:32 pm
I think the world of Greinke but I don’t think a starter makes any sense for us given our Liberty-tight wallet and pitching depth.
But but but….
The problem is that in fixing one issue, another is created. He has a career OPS of .727 against righties. Career OBP against them is .312.
I don’t really see it as a problem. We have enough lefties that will balance that out. Heyward, Freeman, and Mac can rake against righties. And their OPS against lefties is poor (Heyward is in the .660s i believe). Ross balances that out.
BTW, Prado slugs .431 vs righties, Ross is at .415. Not all that different, at least to me.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:34 pm
I mean Ross just EATS up lefties. You think Diaz was a lefty killer, Ross is waay better.
Diaz slugged .362 vs righties (yuck), .498 vs lefties
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
12:34 pm
You mean to say that “premium player” isn’t specific enough?
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:34 pm
Prado 3rd
Braun LF
Defense CF
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:35 pm
No fair, Bat voted twice. Challenge!
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:35 pm
Efrim
I agree with your post about Justin Upton, just don’t think we have the right pieces to get a deal done.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:36 pm
No fair, Bat voted twice. Challenge!
A participant’s 1st prediction is their only prediction that will count.
Thanks Microsoft Excel!
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:37 pm
Then they could go after a stud in center or elsewhere. Maybe even a Greinke. hmmm….
Forget the stud in center, there aren’t really any. I love that 2nd part though. Seth Smith available for a platoon?
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
12:37 pm
Murph, well, Headley was always a solid player. I think things just came together for him this season, which isn’t all that unusual for a good player at age 28.
Of course you never know. But I wouldn’t automatically jump to that conclusion or even suspect something fishy.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:38 pm
Yeah well my first one is the more likely, anyway.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:38 pm
Hugo
Most of the names we have discussed as possible options for us, many of them I don’t consider a “premium player”.
TennesseePaul
October 26th, 2012
12:38 pm
I really wonder what Frank Wren’s definition of a premium player is
The definition will be based largely around the size of the contract. And, knowing that, don’t be too surprised to find an opening day CF of Vernon Wells coupled with the following tag lines, “Premium Player with team control!” “He’s an All-Star!“
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
12:39 pm
Actually VBF, I was joking about scoots wanting a clue from Wren.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:40 pm
I don’t think a starter makes any sense for us given our Liberty-tight wallet and pitching depth.
I wouldn’t get too attached to any pitcher in the org this offseason. And my fear is that what’s left by March will be more quantity than quality. That’s why some here would like to pursue a “premium player” who happens to pitch, and is not named Greinke.
I had to put that disclaimer in there, else his soul-mate would throw up a few more posts about acquiring the guy.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:40 pm
Defense CF
Bourjos
I can’t see the Brewers trading Braun… could he play 1B or does Hamilton play CF? If Braun goes to 1B, Hart would be available. Has played LF before. 1 yr left on contract, but hits lefties well. Good against righties as well.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:40 pm
Probably not, VA.
Seems like Towers won’t go for just prospects on that one. Zona needs a veteran starter, a LH reliever for the 2013 team. Owings and Davidson will be the left side of their infield and they have plenty of young pitching.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:40 pm
Who know’s? Wren could really consider Angel Pagan and Cody Ross premium players but most of us would agree that there just average players.
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:41 pm
Of course you never know. But I wouldn’t automatically jump to that conclusion or even suspect something fishy.
Trying not to, it’s just such a crazy jump in power that it raises an eyebrow.
I’d still like to have him in our lineup regardless. A 50 game suspension isn’t that hard to deal with after living through Chipper’s injury-plagued seasons. It would feel odd having an everyday 3B that actually is in the lineup everyday.
Tumbledown
October 26th, 2012
12:41 pm
Just to be slightly different (and most likely wrong):
CF – Span
LF – T. Hunter
3b – Prado
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:42 pm
If the baseline is Biff and Gattis then a couple of $4mm guys is a huge upgrade.
Gone Viral
October 26th, 2012
12:42 pm
“BTW, Prado slugs .431 vs righties, Ross is at .415.”
But Prado has a career OBP of .341 against righties. He can grind at bats against them. Ross gives away outs. Now let’s consider the doomsday scenario that Ross’s power numbers decline in Atlanta as others have. (Note to Braves people reading this: look into moving in the fences)
If Ross slugs more like his SF numbers (.405) as opposed to his Boston numbers (.481, ***.565 at Fenway vs. .390 on the road***), something I consider likely, we are paying to hurt our lineup. Ross’ road OBP this season was .294. People keep talking about Dexter Fowler’s splits. Look at these and ponder for a moment.Cody Ross had an OPS of .684 outside of Boston in 2012.
Cody Ross is playing in a perfect place for him right now. He should stay. Even if he doesn’t, I do not want him in Atlanta. There is marginal upside opposed to tremendous downside for a player who will not be cheap.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:43 pm
Can Aoki handle CF? That would be something.
CF Aoki/Gomez
2B Weeks
LF Brauan
RF Hamilton
3B Ramirez
1B Hart
C Lucroy
SS Segura
That’s a nice looking lineup.
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
12:44 pm
I don’t know what moves Wren will make…I do trust him to come up with a plan. My REAL wish list:
- BMac comes back strong from surgery, has more all-star years (with us)
- Medlen and Minor continue to pitch like 2nd half
- Teheran gains great control, and 2 great secondary pitches…becomes the “ACE” we all hoped for.
- Delgado, pitching as a 4-5, developes 2-3 stuff and control.
- Gattis is for real, and takes over LF, as well as backup 1B and #3catcher.
- Francisco continues to develope, and becomes Sandoval-like
- Uggla has strong comeback.
I don’t ask for much!
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:45 pm
Zona needs a veteran starter, a LH reliever for the 2013 team.
Start with Maholm and Venters and go from there?
I know when you glance at Venters’ stats from this last season things don’t seem to bad, but… remember a while back when I posted about how few 1-2-3 innings the guy had? That really worries me. He got out of a lot of jams this year. What if he doesn’t get out of those same jams next year? Felt like he had 2 men on every inning before he even got an out.
I’m very ok with trading him… but I’d also be ok keeping him and hoping he returns to that nasty 2011 form.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
12:45 pm
I don’t ask for much!
“I only want the sun and the moon…you can keep the stars.”
Hugo Z Hackenbush
October 26th, 2012
12:48 pm
More likely, the Yankees will sign T Hunter for the outfield, and will actually save money by doing so.
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
12:48 pm
Prado slugs .431 vs righties, Ross is at .415.
Prado is most likely the Braves’ thirdbaseman. And the state of third base these days is not all that impressive, comparatively speaking.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:48 pm
Efrim
But still Justin Upton would be a huge addition. RH power hitter who’s likely to only get better, he’s a upgrade over Prado defensively in the outfield as well. Pencil him in batting cleanup between JHey and FF. That’s really what this team needs, a RH middle of the order bat since Dan Uggla couldn’t be that guy.
But I can’t even figure out a possible trade scenario to land em. EOF or Venters+ Julio Teheran + Nick Ahmed. Probably still wouldn’t be enough cause they wouldn’t value Teheran as much considering they already have plenty of pitching on the way.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:49 pm
If Evan Gattis turns into Jonny Gomes – we should all do cartwheels in our houses/places of work.
TennesseePaul
October 26th, 2012
12:50 pm
You could time his bat-speed with a sundial last year.
Cracks me up to see you blast one player for a drop off in defense despite an increase in offense, then see you turn around and blast another player for their offense. Your early post admitting you don’t like any of the choices is fair enough though. I’ll just keep that in mind as you lament every suggestion posited. Truth is though, there isn’t an affordable good CF available. The only “premium player” out there is Hamilton and he isn’t coming to Atlanta, so we’ll all just have to settle for a BoPFAT (Biff-who-played-for-another-team).
Murph
October 26th, 2012
12:51 pm
What do you guys think happens with Hanson?
I think he’ll be traded for prospects.
TennesseePaul
October 26th, 2012
12:51 pm
If Evan Gattis turns into Jonny Gomes – we should all do cartwheels in our houses/places of work.
I doubt he could even stoop that low.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:52 pm
Efrim
Thats another good ceiling comparison for Gattis, to go along with Eric Hinske and Ryan Doumit.
TennesseePaul
October 26th, 2012
12:53 pm
I only want the sun and the moon…you can keep the stars.
You’re getting hosed on that deal. Very short sited. There are trillions and trillions of stars. And just as many moons. The acreage alone is worth it.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:53 pm
Ross was able to slug .440+ at home when he was with the Marlins…. he had poorer numbers on the road though.
It’s tough to be a GM
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
12:53 pm
D-Backs have a great system with a good mix of position player prospects and pitchers. I think Towers would be foolish to trade Upton for just prospects. Andrus makes the most sense, but Towers loves his bullpen and he doesn’t have a LH reliever right now. Plus, lots of young’ns in that rotation. A guy like Maholm would bring innings to them. I don’t know – we probably don’t match up with them in comparison to other teams in the league.
Maybe Wren can get him hammered at the Winter Meetings and change his mind?
old man
October 26th, 2012
12:56 pm
S Pagan
R Prado
L Heyward
R C. Ross
L McCann
R Uggla
L Freeman
R Simmons
Platoon Francisco and Ross, move Prado between LF and 1B.
I doubt we can afford both Pagan and Ross.
Oh well.
old man
October 26th, 2012
12:57 pm
**3B**
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:57 pm
The only “premium player” out there is Hamilton and he isn’t coming to Atlanta
2 premium players… and the 2nd probably won’t come here, despite my wishes.
What do you guys think happens with Hanson?….I think he’ll be traded for prospects.
Non-tender. Yeah, he’ll probably be traded for 1-2 low or mid-level prospects. At least I hope so.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:57 pm
What do you guys think happens with Hanson?
He’ll spend the winter drinking, chasing girls, growing a long beard, while gaining 15 pounds.
He’ll have a driver in spring training
Coach (2012 Fredi's Beisbol Fandango)
October 26th, 2012
12:58 pm
I can see Hamilton in a Yankee’s uni. As for McCann, he will be back for the 2013 season. Which shall be his deciding season as to whether or not the Braves decide to let Mac walk or not.
My two cents….3rd base if Bethancourt is ready for 2014. O yea. for the UMPTEENTH TIME…….DAN UGGLA, L-E-F-T- F-I-E-L-D!!!!!!!!
Enquiring Minds Want To Know
October 26th, 2012
12:58 pm
CF- Victorino
LF- Willingham
3B- Prado
I think Efrim’s assessment of Victorino at 12:25 is correct. If he’s good, he’ll be a bargain, and if he’s bad, the duration will be short. And he’s done it before, so if the body is willing, you know he’s capable.
Willingham is a cost effective bridge to Gattis in LF. If Gattis doesn’t pan out, then you’ve got a year to look elsewhere.
VaBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
12:59 pm
Efrim
Would Maholm, EOF, Teheran, and Ahmed be enough? Or do you think the overall deal doesn’t make the Braves better. Cause we know what Paul and EOF can provide for us.
Mixxo
October 26th, 2012
1:01 pm
What do you guys think happens with Hanson?
Honestly? I could care less.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
1:05 pm
Is anyone watching Homeland this year?
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
1:05 pm
Ross was able to slug .440+ at home when he was with the Marlins…. he had poorer numbers on the road though.
This is why you take in a lot of information: large sample, scouting reports, consider age, skill set, etc. You don’t just look at very narrow subsets of data.
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
1:06 pm
I still have hope that Hanson will figure it out, make adjustments, and regain some value, to us, or as trade bait. It could easily turn into a JJ situation.
Efrim
October 26th, 2012
1:07 pm
I’d want JR Graham if I were the D-Backs. Could be wicked in the pen and if he makes it as a starter that’d be great too. Obviously not just him, but getting Maholm and Venters would be part of it.
They have Skaggs, Bauer, Corbin – so adding Teheran would be strange. But I guess you can never have enough pitching. Just think that’s sort of overkill.
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:08 pm
CF-Fowler
LF-Gattis/Johnson
3B-Wright
obviously hoping Wright tells Mets he’s not staying and they let him walk
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
1:09 pm
BravesFanSince80s, so are the Braves trading Prado? If not, where’s he going to play?
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:09 pm
Hanson’s future is tied to Huddy and Beachy’s return I think…
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
1:10 pm
Shaun @1:05 – Totally agree, and your favorite advanced metrics are vital…but I am glad to hear you say there is value in non-statistical factors…ie scouting, age, skill set…I would add thi9ngs like attitude, work ethic, etc. All valuablein evaluation.
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:11 pm
2B of course:)
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
1:13 pm
you blast one player for a drop off in defense despite an increase in offense
Who was that player? I’m not denying I did it, LOL, just can’t remember who I would have characterized that way.
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
1:15 pm
BFS80’s – 2 big flaws in your plans…
1- Mets WILL re-sign Wright, and if they don’t, they will give him a qualifying offer.
2- As Shaun points out before I could (he’s on a roll today)…What about Prado? Unacceptable!
Venice Jim
October 26th, 2012
1:15 pm
Bat – we are…
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
1:16 pm
2B? OK…but Uggla isn’t really going anywhere in 2013.
Gone Viral
October 26th, 2012
1:16 pm
“Ross was able to slug .440+ at home when he was with the Marlins…. he had poorer numbers on the road though.
It’s tough to be a GM”
This is absolutely true. Like anything else in life, luck and happenstance are huge factors. What I note about the Braves, an unpopular opinion at the moment, is that we are better served when our hitters are grinders. I am not discussing Prado’s two strike expertise when I say this.
Instead, I am focusing on situations such as Greg Norton a couple of years ago when his bat speed had evaporated. His on base percentage after the All-Star Break was. 400. Everyone was screaming “CUT HIM!” because of his batting average. He was clearly finished as a player yet he was tough enough to battle every at bat. He had a .145 batting average that year but a .330 on base percentage.
For all of the complaints about Dan Uggla this season, his OBP was .348 while Heyward and Freeman were at .340 and .335. Uggla’s OPS was 60 points lower than the worst of the other two but I believe in that Moneyball argument. Not getting out is what matters most in baseball. No matter how much he struggled with his swing, Uggla kept finding ways to help the team, just as Norton did in 2009.
When I consider building a roster, I focus upon finding guys who will always fight, no matter how poorly they may be doing. There is value in building up pitch counts and forcing pitching changes. There are not a lot of metrics that focus on this yet all of us here who understand baseball appreciative the truth of that statement.
As I look toward the 2013 season, I see a tremendous foundation for this team. I do not want to experience a setback. My largest concern right now is that when Chipper Jones played, he was the toughest out in the lineup. In replacing him and adding new players, we have to focus not on slugging or right/left splits.
Instead, I maintain we must lock in on hitters who have that glorious Tom Glavine mentality, “Never give in.” Cody Ross slugs a lot at Fenway. He has never made enough of an effort to get on base, though. Over his past five seasons, he has averaged 39 walks. I want players who push pitchers more often than a base on balls every 14 at bats. Josh Willingham, who is currently getting slandered fifty times a day here, has 179 more walks over the past 5 seasons. He has managed this in 121 fewer plate appearances. This is one walk every seven plate appearances. Which one is the fighter and which one is weak?
I don’t want to pay weak player a lot of money. If we had Ted’s bankroll (and Ted still had Ted’s bankroll), we could splurge on role players. We do not. So when people talk up a guy with a .312 OBP recently, I shudder.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
1:17 pm
They have Skaggs, Bauer, Corbin – so adding Teheran would be strange.
Only if you think that’s the only trade Towers would make this offseason. If adding a Teheran frees up one of your other pitching prospects for a follow-up trade, then that works.
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
1:18 pm
VJ_
They have been moving the plot along a a fast pace. I like it
raleighbravefan
October 26th, 2012
1:19 pm
scoots – You aren’t allowed to think like a chess player.
Gotta go. Later, friends
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
1:20 pm
raleighbravefan, exactly. My diatribes have nothing to do with advancing “sabermetrics” or “advanced stats” over everything else. It’s about including those things in the information used, as most GM’s and front offices do.
It seems in many cases if you bring up a metric that can be construed as “advanced” or “sabermetric,” some here immediately attack claiming that you are asserting this is the be-all, end-all.
George_George
October 26th, 2012
1:20 pm
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
12:57 pm
What do you guys think happens with Hanson?
He’ll spend the winter drinking, chasing girls, growing a long beard, while gaining 15 pounds.
He’ll have a driver in spring training
**************************************
Something tells me he is not your faverate player, mine either.
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:24 pm
Stop with the Uggla defending. The OBP doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot when your 2B is near the league lead for K’s 2 yrs running. He was PAID to hit in the middle of the lineup and to drive in runs, not to draw walks and stand at 1B while somebody else ends the inning. At this point, trade him to a mexican league team for a 3 legged donkey for all I care. To hell with his ridiculous albatross contract to the earlier comment that we were rid of all the albatross contracts (don’t know how you can say that given how much longer Ugly Dan is under contract for). Uggla was signed to hit in the moddle of the order and drive in runs, period. He has not done that…
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 26th, 2012
1:24 pm
Something tells me he is not your faverate player, mine either.
The only people who considered him their favorite player were the opposing batters he faced this year. .271/.344/.464/.808
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:25 pm
middle*
Venice Jim
October 26th, 2012
1:25 pm
As DOB mentioned on Twitter a few days ago, I was expecting it would take all season to progress to this point…
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
1:26 pm
George _
I’m kind of kidding about Hanson. Well not the beard, girls, drinking and the driver. Hopefully he trains harder, loses a few pounds and gets stronger.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
1:29 pm
He’ll spend the winter drinking, chasing girls, growing a long beard, while gaining 15 pounds.
You guys act as if this is a bad thing. What do you expect a 25-year-old making small-company CEO money with four months off to do? Contemplate his navel?
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:30 pm
He’ll have to go back to square one and figure out a more fluid delivery or Hanson will be done in Atl very soon…
George_George
October 26th, 2012
1:31 pm
Bat Masterson
October 26th, 2012
1:26 pm
George _
I’m kind of kidding about Hanson. Well not the beard, girls, drinking and the driver. Hopefully he trains harder, loses a few pounds and gets stronger.
************
Think he could do better if he would drop that hitch out of his delivery.
ncscoots
October 26th, 2012
1:35 pm
He’ll have to go back to square one and figure out a more fluid delivery or Hanson will be done in Atl very soon…
Then, he’ll have to go back to the minors as Halladay did, if you expect him to completely revamp his delivery. As much as some folks here think he should, anyway. In which case, he provides no value at all to the team at the ML level.
DAP
October 26th, 2012
1:35 pm
scoots You could time his bat-speed with a sundial last year.
but you can see his numbers vs. lefties from a mile off. their huge.
nolie
October 26th, 2012
1:38 pm
he’s NEVER been known for calling a good game Tenn. Paul, Cox used to call a lot of pitches from the dugout…BF80
total bullcrap
BravePack(FreeFan)
October 26th, 2012
1:45 pm
Isn’t Towers the GM who wanted the world for Peavy in San Diego? I remember how much trouble we had with that guy even though it worked out in the Braves favor. I wouldn’t expect a deal to get Upton from Arizona with that guy as a GM.
cricket
October 26th, 2012
1:45 pm
total bullcrap
bullcrap is insulted
Shaun
October 26th, 2012
1:46 pm
raleighbravefan, it’s kind of like the Hank Aaron quote: “I don’t want them to forget Babe Ruth. I just want them to remember me.”
I don’t want to forget about scouting reports, skill sets, age, etc. I just want us to remember “sabermetrics” or “advanced stats” or whatever you prefer to call those metrics that get to the heart of measuring creating and preventing runs.
Actually I think the labels are often what cause the animosity. If folks would ignore the label of “advanced” or “sabermetric” and just look at what, for example, wOBA actually is, we would all be better off. But it seems so many look at something, think “advanced stat” or “sabermetric” and the danger lights and warning signs start to go off. I’m all about judging something on its merits and not automatically discounting it because of what we or others have decided to label it.
old man
October 26th, 2012
1:46 pm
Gone Viral:
You sort of convinced me on Cody Ross. Grinders are really, really valuable. I have blasted Uggla repeatedly, and I am mad as fire at him, but for some of the reasons you gave, trotting him out again to see if he improves is our best bet at 2B. But I would not let him hit .215 past June 15.
nolie
October 26th, 2012
1:49 pm
he’s a upgrade over Prado defensively in the outfield as well. ,…Va
say what? Prado was rated the second best LFer in baseball all season
cricket
October 26th, 2012
1:54 pm
time to get outta this place before i start hating Hank Aaron…
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
1:55 pm
Cox got in the habit of calling a lot of pitches while Javy was our everyday catcher, for obvious reasons, and it just carried on into Mac’s career, perhaps unfairly, but it happened. I saw it plenty. Call BS if you want, ain’t gonna change it…
nolie
October 26th, 2012
1:55 pm
pretty unlikely ‘zona would take whatever we could offer, bound to be teams with much better prospects that would be interested
nolie
October 26th, 2012
1:57 pm
total bullcrap, Smoltz and maddux both complemented Brian on his pitch calling. Cox almost never called pitches from the dugout. no idea where you got that idea
Mountain Braves Fan
October 26th, 2012
1:58 pm
CF Victorino
3b Prado
LF McCutchen
SS Barmes
BravesFanSince80s
October 26th, 2012
2:03 pm
probably from averaging WATCHING over 100 games a year since about 1987 instead of “watching” while hanging out with other people or sitting in front of a computer screen while “watching” Nolie. Anybody who understands how a catcher calls a game would say Mac is VERY average at best in that department, and more than one pitcher has had trouble working with him and I don’t know where you get the idea that Cox didn’t call about 90 percent of Javy’s caught games because he was all but clueless to the point that some pitchers, Maddux particularly, wouldn’t pitch to him…